Roser Puig | Motherhood (Virgin and Child) (1957) | Mixed Media on Paper | Catalan Academic Drawing

A drawing of extraordinary delicacy where the purity of the graphite line and the subtlety of the chalk capture the tenderness of motherhood in Catalan graphics from the mid-20th century.

History and Curatorial Analysis

Created in 1957, this piece by Roser Puig represents an intimate approach to the iconography of Maternity or the Virgin and Child, a theme with a long tradition and deep roots in Catalan illustration during the post-war period.

Technically, the work stands out for its clean and serene linear execution, a legacy of the sobriety of Noucentisme and academic illustration from the mid-20th century. Puig works on warm beige toned paper, constructing the anatomy of the figures with a firm and modulated graphite line. To give the composition three-dimensionality and volume, the artist masterfully uses white chalk—applied with precision to the faces, the infant's hair, and the nimbus-like halo—and subtle touches of ocher pigments to define the folds of the clothing. The inclusion of two birds fluttering above the halo adds a note of lyricism and compositional freshness.

Reasons for the collection

• Delicacy and mastery of drawing: Stands out for the masterful use of mixed media on toned paper, achieving remarkable luminosity and volume with very restrained artistic resources.

• Universal and timeless iconography: The scene of motherhood transcends the purely sacred to become a piece of great aesthetic sensibility and pleasant decorative presence.

• Traceability and authenticity: Work signed and dated by hand in the lower right corner by the artist herself ("roser puig 1957").

• High-level presentation: Preserved in excellent condition, protected by glass and framed with a large format passe-partout that amplifies the visual weight of the drawing within a clean-lined wooden frame.

Technical Sheet

• Author: Roser Puig

• Title: Maternity / Virgin and Child

• Year: 1957

• Style: Academic illustration / Catalan drawing from the mid-20th century

• Technique: Mixed media (graphite, white chalk, and earth pigments) on toned paper

• Artwork dimensions: 41 x 30 cm

• Dimensions with frame: 68 x 52 cm approx.

• Signature: Lower right corner ("roser puig 1957")

• Framing: Smooth natural wood frame with protective glass and a large format passe-partout in a neutral coffee tone.

• Condition: Excellent. Paper firm, stable, and in optimal preservation conditions.

The Workshop's Note

Academic drawing from the mid-20th century with human and endearing themes has a loyal following among collectors of works on paper. This piece by Roser Puig stands out for its impeccable execution: the use of white chalk on the natural tone of the paper gives the faces a very particular light. For El Taller del Coleccionista, it is a magnificent addition for those who appreciate the delicacy of line, the elegance of classical illustration, and the warmth of Catalan figurative art from the 1950s.