Eliseu Meifrén (1859-1940)

The impressionist landscape painting 'The Pierced Rock' beautifully captures the natural beauty of Sa Foradada, a famous rock formation on the coast of Mallorca.

 

 

Inspiring nature

 

The scene is dominated by the large, distinctive rock with a natural hole or arch, which gives the formation its name, "Sa Foradada," meaning "The Pierced Rock"¹

This painting not only highlights Eliseu Meifrén’s technical skills but also his ability to evoke the tranquil beauty of Mallorca’s coastline.

He was deeply inspired by the natural beauty and unique landscapes of Mallorca, where he spent a significant part of his life. Sa Foradada, with its distinctive rock formation and stunning coastal scenery, provided a perfect subject for his landscape paintings.

 

 

Composition

 

The painting features the rugged coastline with rocky outcrops and sparse vegetation. The foreground is detailed with textures of the rocks and the gentle waves lapping against them.

The central focus is the iconic rock formation with its prominent hole, standing majestically against the backdrop of the sea.

The background showcases the expansive Mediterranean Sea, with its deep blue hues blending into the horizon. The sky above is often depicted with soft, wispy clouds, adding to the serene atmosphere.

 

 

Impressionism

 

Meifrén's style in this painting shows a strong influence of Impressionism, characterized by loose brushwork and a focus on capturing the effects of light and atmosphere.

 

The use of vibrant and natural colors, particularly the blues of the sea and sky, and the earthy tones of the rocks, creates a harmonious and realistic depiction of the scene.

The play of light and shadow is masterfully handled, with sunlight illuminating parts of the rock and casting shadows that enhance the three-dimensional quality of the formation.

Meifrén employs atmospheric perspective to give depth to the painting, with the distant sea and sky appearing lighter and less detailed compared to the foreground.

 

 

Provenance

 

• Private collection, USA
• Private collection, UK

 

Born in Barcelona, Eliseo Meifrén had anticipated a career in Medicine before giving up his studies and turning to painting He enrolled at the Escola de la Llotja, a School of Art and Design in Barcelona.

 

 

Awarded at young age

 

Following his studies, Meifrén was awarded a Gold Medal at a Valencia Regional exhibition, a testament to his precocious talent and at the age of nineteen travelled to Paris, followed by a period in Italy before returning to Spain in 1881, Exhibiting at the National Exhibition of Fine Arts.

 

 

International working area

 

In 1882, Meifrén married Dolores Pajarin and settled in Paris but they travelled widely frequently returning to Barcelona, where in 1888 he sat on the jury for the Barcelona World Exhibition. The year 1889 saw the artist exhibit at the Paris World Exhibition and the same year show sixty oil paintings at the Sala Parés in Barcelona, the following year showing forty landscape paintings based on his travels in Spain, France and Italy.

 

 

Impressionism

 

In 1892, Meifrén and his wife returned to Paris where he worked, ‘en plein air’ and became closely associated with the Impressionists.

In 1897, he was invited by the Director of the Gabinete Literario to Las Palmas in the Canary Islands, while continuing to exhibit widely, including the award of a Gold Medal at the Paris World Exhibition of 1900, and a Silver Medal at the subsequent Brussels Exhibition.

In 1903, Meifrén and his wife moved to Buenos Aires where he held a successful exhibition of his own paintings and the following year held an exhibition of Catalan Painters, which included a number of works by Picasso.

 

 

New post

 

Meifrén move to Mallorca in 1905, where he had been offered the post of Director at the Escola d’Arts i Oficis de Palma.

However, he continued to travel extensively and in 1915 travelled to the USA, exhibiting at the Panama Pacific International Exhibition that year and winning the Medal of Honour in San Francisco, followed by the Grand Prize in San Diego in 1916.

Meifrén settled in New York briefly, exhibiting paintings of Mallorca and Cadaqués, where he had spent his childhood and in 1917 returned to Barcelona.

 

 

Civil War

 

Meifrén first wife passed away in 1924. He remarried in 1930. Several years later at the outbreak of the Civil War he fled to Manresa in Catalonia living as a refugee until his return to Barcelona in 1939.

In December he held his final exhibition at the Sala Gaspar. Meifrén died in February the following year.

 

 

Exhibitions

 

A painter of international renown, Meifrén exhibited throughout Europe and the Americas.

 

 

Museums

 

• Liverpool, Walker Art Gallery
• Madrid, Museo Nacional del Prado
• Las Palmas, Mallorca
• Buenos Aires, Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes