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New painting by Jesús Portas at History Museum

Girona City History Museum has recently added a painting by Jesús Portas (Girona, 1917-1991) to its permanent collection. Girona from Sant Daniel, from the artist's first period, will be on display in the Celler Room this summer, from this week until 11 September.

Girona City Council recently purchased a new oil painting for Girona City History Museum permanent collection. Girona from Sant Daniel by Jesús Portas (Girona, 1917-1991) is a landscape from the artist’s early period, showing the direct influence of his first teacher, Josep Aguilera.

Portas began his professional career as an illustrator for La Vanguardia newspaper and for the two-volume Xilografies Gironines by Joan Amades (1947-1948). From the 1940s onwards, he exhibited his works mainly in Girona, often as one of the 'Three Painters' group with Isidre Vicens and Eduard Vila i Fàbrega. The same three painters were also part of the 'Girona Group' (1964-1972), together with Emília Xargay, Domènec Fita and Torres Monsó.

He was also an excellent engraver, poster artist and mural painter, producing murals for Girona Chamber of Commerce (1962) and Girona-Costa Brava Airport (1967).

Portas' naturalist landscapes were devoid of anecdotic features. He conceived his painting from a geometric structuralism, which remains after application of the pictorial layer. He accentuated this style in his portraits and, above all, in his more intimist still lifes. In 1966, he travelled to Cuba, where he depicted popular scenes. His portraits of well-to-do persons in pre-Castro Havana earned him local fame as 'the great Spanish artist'.