XAVIER UBACH | STILL LIFE WITH TWO VASES | ORIGINAL WATERCOLOR | CATALAN SCHOOL

XAVIER UBACH | STILL LIFE WITH TWO VASES | ORIGINAL WATERCOLOR | CATALAN SCHOOL

A still life with an overwhelming atmosphere.

HISTORY AND CURATORIAL ANALYSIS

The abstraction of the object and the telluric palette

The still life genre has historically been the laboratory where avant-garde Catalan artists have experimented with composition and color. In this original piece, Xavier Ubach (Terrassa, 1932) deliberately moves away from photographic representation to focus on the "soul" and atmosphere of objects.

The composition is austere, forceful, and perfectly balanced. Two ceramic vases or pitchers converse with each other through their organic and complementary forms. Ubach uses a sober and telluric chromatic palette — dominated by earthy tones, fiery ochres, and leaden shadows — very characteristic of the mid-century Catalan school, which sought beauty in expressive restraint rather than visual clamor.

The virtuosity of water and paper reserve

Technically, the work is a display of watercolor control. The artist does not draw strict outlines but allows color stains to expand and build volume. It is interesting to observe how Ubach uses the "reserve" technique (leaving the raw white of the paper unpainted) to tear the stormy background and suggest a dramatic light bathing the scene from above. The dense washes at the base visually anchor the vases, giving them extraordinary physical weight.

WHY IS THIS PIECE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUR COLLECTION?

• Synthesis and Modernity: Midway between classical figuration and abstraction, this work is perfect for contemporary collections looking for still life from a modern, gestural, and loose brushstroke perspective.

• Consolidated Signature: Authenticated by the emphatic handwritten signature "XAVIER UBACH" in the lower right corner, the print is an excellent gateway to collecting Catalan painting of the second half of the 20th century.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

• Artist: Xavier Ubach (Terrassa, 1932).

• Title / Theme: Two vases / Still life (Synthesis still life).

• Estimated Period: Second half of the 20th century.

• Technique and Support: Original fluid watercolor and glazes (aguada) on high-grammage cotton paper with natural deckled edges.

• Documented Dimensions: Approx. 16 x 21.5 cm (Landscape cabinet format).

• Signature and Inscriptions: Hand-signed with a brush "XAVIER UBACH" in the lower right corner.

• Style / Movement: Figurative Expressionism / Catalan School.

• Provenance: Private collection / Gallery fund.

• Condition: Excellent archival quality.

THE WORKSHOP'S NOTE

There are still lifes that describe objects and still lifes that describe silences. This watercolor by Ubach undoubtedly belongs to the second category. The raw force of the earth tones contrasted with the fragility of the paper makes it a piece of unquestionable visual magnetism. A cultured acquisition, reserved for the collector who values the weight of the material and the boldness of the loose stroke.

Includes Collector's Dossier: This artwork comes with a research study of the work, prepared and printed by El Taller del Coleccionista, certifying our research and known provenance.