Josep Berga i Boix (25 October 1837, La Pinya, Garrotxa - 8 October 1914, Olot) was a Spanish landscape painter; influenced by the Barbizon school and one of the founders of the Olot school. In his later years he was known as Avi Berga (Grandpa Berga).
He was born to a family of peasant laborers. His early education came from two local monks and his first exposure to art probably came at the farmhouse owned by his parents' employer. The only way open to continue his education was by pursuing an ecclesiastical career so, in 1852, he went to Olot to attend the Latin school.[1] While there, he was able to study drawing with a local artist named Narcís Pascual i Sala (1805-1869).
In 1855, he moved to Girona to continue his religious training at the seminary. He was there for six years without making a definite decision about entering the clergy. Along with his official studies, he took private lessons from Alfons Gelabert Buxó [ca], who had studied with Thomas Couture in Paris. When he left the seminary, he found work as a draftsman for the architect, Martí Sureda [ca].[2]
He became a regular contributor of illustrations for various periodicals, including Catalunya Artística [ca]. As a result of some work he did for a Carlist newspaper, he was briefly forced to take refuge in Perpignan after the Revolution of 1868, where he met Joaquim Vayreda and was introduced to the Barbizon school of landscape painting.[2] He also took this occasion to make sketches in the Pyrenees. Upon his return, he applied to be Director at the Drawing School of Olot, but was unsuccessful. He settled there, however, and worked with Vayreda to create a local style of painting, which showed the influence of Barbizon as well as the Norwich school.[1]
During the Third Carlist War, he had to go to France temporarily again. In 1877, he was finally named Director of the drawing school; a position that occupied most of his energies for the rest of his life.[1] Among his best-known students there were Josep Clarà and Miquel Blay i Fàbregas.[2] In 1880, together with Vayreda and others, he created a special workshop for religious images; "Els Sants d'Olot", which gained an international reputation. Berga later quit in frustration over being unable to change the public's "bad taste" in regards to those types of images.[3]
He was also an amateur writer. From 1893 to 1894, his semi-autobiographical narrative, "L'estudiant de la Garrotxa", was published as a serial in La Ilustració Catalana [ca]. This was issued as a book in 1895, with illustrations by several artists from Olot. He later produced a sequel, a study of art in Olot, a play ("La Borda", 1902) and, towards the end of his life, a collection of stories; Llegendes de la comarca d'Olot.[2]
In 2000, the Olot Town Council added his portrait to the "Gallery of Illustrious Olotinos".
Selected paintingsedit
Landscape with Shepherd and Flock
Red Sky
Untitled landscape
Procession
Referencesedit
^ abc"El fundador de l'Escola Paisatgística Olotina: Josep Berga i Boix" @ DUGiDocs, University of Girona
^ abcd"Los Directores de la Escuela de Bellas Artés de Olot" @ Revistas Catalanes.
^[1] "Els camins oberts per Berga i Boix" @ Revista de Girona.
Further readingedit
Vicenç Jordà, "Els amors imposibles de Josep Berga", Revista de Girona #275, 2012 Online
Jaime Pumerola, "José Berga y Boix (l'avi Berga)", Revista de Girona, 2008 Online
Joan Sala i Plana, Joan, Josep Berga i Boix:1837-1814: l'intèrpret d'una època, Olot- Llibres de Batet-Col·lecció d'artistes, 2000 ISBN84-86626-28-5
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Josep Berga i Boix.
Museu dels Sants d'Olot 2012-09-03 at the Wayback Machine website.
January 01, 1970
josep, berga, boix, october, 1837, pinya, garrotxa, october, 1914, olot, spanish, landscape, painter, influenced, barbizon, school, founders, olot, school, later, years, known, berga, grandpa, berga, josep, berga, boix, 1900s, contents, biography, selected, pa. Josep Berga i Boix 25 October 1837 La Pinya Garrotxa 8 October 1914 Olot was a Spanish landscape painter influenced by the Barbizon school and one of the founders of the Olot school In his later years he was known as Avi Berga Grandpa Berga Josep Berga I Boix 1900s Contents 1 Biography 2 Selected paintings 3 References 4 Further reading 5 External linksBiography editHe was born to a family of peasant laborers His early education came from two local monks and his first exposure to art probably came at the farmhouse owned by his parents employer The only way open to continue his education was by pursuing an ecclesiastical career so in 1852 he went to Olot to attend the Latin school 1 While there he was able to study drawing with a local artist named Narcis Pascual i Sala 1805 1869 In 1855 he moved to Girona to continue his religious training at the seminary He was there for six years without making a definite decision about entering the clergy Along with his official studies he took private lessons from Alfons Gelabert Buxo ca who had studied with Thomas Couture in Paris When he left the seminary he found work as a draftsman for the architect Marti Sureda ca 2 nbsp The Romeria 1886 He became a regular contributor of illustrations for various periodicals including Catalunya Artistica ca As a result of some work he did for a Carlist newspaper he was briefly forced to take refuge in Perpignan after the Revolution of 1868 where he met Joaquim Vayreda and was introduced to the Barbizon school of landscape painting 2 He also took this occasion to make sketches in the Pyrenees Upon his return he applied to be Director at the Drawing School of Olot but was unsuccessful He settled there however and worked with Vayreda to create a local style of painting which showed the influence of Barbizon as well as the Norwich school 1 During the Third Carlist War he had to go to France temporarily again In 1877 he was finally named Director of the drawing school a position that occupied most of his energies for the rest of his life 1 Among his best known students there were Josep Clara and Miquel Blay i Fabregas 2 In 1880 together with Vayreda and others he created a special workshop for religious images Els Sants d Olot which gained an international reputation Berga later quit in frustration over being unable to change the public s bad taste in regards to those types of images 3 He was also an amateur writer From 1893 to 1894 his semi autobiographical narrative L estudiant de la Garrotxa was published as a serial in La Ilustracio Catalana ca This was issued as a book in 1895 with illustrations by several artists from Olot He later produced a sequel a study of art in Olot a play La Borda 1902 and towards the end of his life a collection of stories Llegendes de la comarca d Olot 2 In 2000 the Olot Town Council added his portrait to the Gallery of Illustrious Olotinos Selected paintings edit nbsp Landscape with Shepherd and Flock nbsp Red Sky nbsp Untitled landscape nbsp ProcessionReferences edit a b c El fundador de l Escola Paisatgistica Olotina Josep Berga i Boix DUGiDocs University of Girona a b c d Los Directores de la Escuela de Bellas Artes de Olot Revistas Catalanes 1 Els camins oberts per Berga i Boix Revista de Girona Further reading editVicenc Jorda Els amors imposibles de Josep Berga Revista de Girona 275 2012 Online Jaime Pumerola Jose Berga y Boix l avi Berga Revista de Girona 2008 Online Joan Sala i Plana Joan Josep Berga i Boix 1837 1814 l interpret d una epoca Olot Llibres de Batet Col leccio d artistes 2000 ISBN 84 86626 28 5External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Josep Berga i Boix Museu dels Sants d Olot Archived 2012 09 03 at the Wayback Machine website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Josep Berga i Boix amp oldid 1147816860, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
