Ricard Opisso i Sala — Crowd and bathers in the port of Barcelona, 20th century — hand-colored print on paper

Humorous composition by Ricard Opisso i Sala (1880–1966) depicting a crowd gathered by the water in a festive and satirical scene set at the port of Barcelona. The image brings together numerous characters, small boats, and comical situations, following the Catalan artist's characteristic graphic language.

The scene is organized around a long pier that crosses the composition diagonally and extends toward the horizon. A crowd of spectators of all ages and walks of life is gathered on it, represented with an extraordinary variety of gestures, expressions, and attitudes. Some characters gaze at the water, others converse, raise their arms, or lean over the edge of the pier, while several figures appear to be falling into the sea.

In the foreground, a woman floats on the water with the help of a lifebuoy identified with the name “Gertrudis.” Around her are bathers, figures swimming, and a boat occupied by several characters. In the upper right, spectators crowd by the railing, forming a succession of surprised faces, hats, dresses, and movements that add dynamism to the composition.

The contrast between the open space of the water and the human density of the pier is especially effective. Opisso organizes a seemingly chaotic scene through a very precise distribution of groups, gestures, and directions of movement. Each sector of the illustration contains small humorous anecdotes that invite careful observation.

The hand-coloring introduces bluish and greenish tones in the water and certain garments, along with pinks, ochres, and yellows that enrich the crowd without obscuring the original graphic structure. The black drawing retains a dominant presence, especially in the outlines, the hatching of the clothing, and the areas with the highest concentration of characters.

This way of representing collective life is one of the most recognizable aspects of Opisso's production, whose graphic work offers a vast repertoire of scenes of Barcelona society in the first half of the 20th century.

This item features an impression of the artist's composition later enriched by hand-coloring. The signature “opisso” is incorporated into the drawing, and there is no evidence of an independent autograph signature or the artist's personal intervention in the coloring.

About the artist

Ricard Opisso i Sala (1880–1966) was a prominent Catalan draftsman, illustrator, and caricaturist. His career was closely linked to the graphic press and the depiction of popular life in Barcelona.

His contributions to ¡Cu-Cut!, L'Esquella de la Torratxa, and TBO, among other publications, disseminated a graphic language characterized by satire, social observation, and an extraordinary ability to construct crowd scenes.

In his urban scenes, the artist knew how to combine genre details and humor with a remarkable narrative capacity, becoming one of the great visual chroniclers of his time.

Technical Sheet

• Artist of the composition: Ricard Opisso i Sala (1880–1966).

• Descriptive title: Crowd and bathers at the port of Barcelona.

• Date: 20th-century composition. Exact printing date undetermined.

• Technique: Black graphic print with hand-colouring with water-based paint.

• Support: Paper.

• Dimensions: 26.5 × 40 cm.

• Signature: “opisso,” integrated into the graphic composition.

• Inscriptions: “Gertrudis,” on the depicted lifebuoy.

• Subject: Graphic humor, bathers, crowds, and harbor scene.

• Condition: Shows signs of aging, slight surface alterations, small stains, and wear in certain margin areas. On the reverse, signs of handling and aging are visible. The scene maintains good graphic and chromatic definition.

• Observations: Hand-colored print of a composition by Ricard Opisso. The authorship of the pictorial intervention and the date of printing have not been documented.

Workshop Note

One of the most attractive features of this composition is its extraordinary narrative richness. The crowd gathered on the pier and the various incidents taking place in the water allow for the discovery of new characters and small comical episodes with every observation.

The contrast between the breadth of the maritime space and the concentration of figures is a magnificent example of Opisso's compositional skill, especially recognized in his crowd scenes.

The hand-coloring of this copy adds a chromatic dimension to the illustration while preserving the prominence of the black drawing and the artist's characteristic dynamism.

The composition is included in our overview of Ricard Opisso and his crowd scenes of twentieth-century Barcelona.