Francesc Gimeno i Arasa

After completing his primary education, in 1880, he moved to Barcelona, where he worked as a decorative painter in the studios of Manuel Marqués (born c. 1840). At the same time, he and a few friends operated a small art academy. With the assistance of a lithographer named Francisco Tió, he was able to move to Madrid in 1884, to study at the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando with the landscape painter, Carlos de Haes, and make copies of Velázquez at the Museo del Prado.[http://coneix.sabadell.cat/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=17879&Itemid=122 Biography] @ Nomenclàtor.

In 1887, he moved to Torroella de Montgrí and, two years later, settled on the Costa Brava, where he painted maritime scenes. In 1888, he received honorable mention at the Exposición Universal de Barcelona. Upon returning to Barcelona the following year, he shut himself up in an old decorator's studio and, for unknown reasons, refused to participate in the artistic community there.

It was not until 1915 that, strongly urged by his friends, he held a small private exhibition at the {{ill|Dalmau Galleries|ca|Josep Dalmau i Rafel}}. It was then that he reestablished contact with a childhood friend, Doctor {{ill|Francesc de Paula Bedós i Arnal|ca|lt=Francesc Bedós}}, who became his patron. After that, he spent long periods at the Doctor's home in Sabadell, painting for a small group of local customers. He participated in a few exhibitions; notably in 1917 in Barcelona and 1920 in Begur.

He created approximately 200 self-portraits, which bear little stylistic resemblance to his other works. He had a rough temperament, few friends and, despite some success, was usually mired in poverty. The writer, Josep Pla, described him as a "primitive, marginal, anarchic being" who painted by instinct.''Josep Pla: Francesc Gimeno, pintor, el vell (1858-1927), pg. 95.

In 2006, the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya organized an exhibit entitled "Francesc Gimeno, un artista maleït" (A painter cursed/damned).[https://www.museunacional.cat/ca/francesc-gimeno-un-artista-maleit Francesc Gimeno. Un Artista Maleït] {{ISBN|978-84-8043-157-6}}

His eldest son, {{ill|Martí Gimeno i Massaguer|ca}} also became a painter, as well as a sculptor and art critic.

Cap de nen - Francesc Gimeno Arasa - Llegat 56 - 1683.JPG|Boy's Head

(Barcelona) Francesc Gimeno - Un poble empordanès - Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya.jpg|Town in Emporda

Francesc Gimeno - Plaza del Rey - Google Art Project.jpg|Plaza del Rey

Francesc Gimeno - Market Day in Torroella - Google Art Project.jpg|Market day in Torroella

Francesc Gimeno - The Grapevines - Google Art Project.jpg|The Grapevines

(Barcelona) Dona dormint - Francesc Gimeno - Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya.jpg|Woman Sleeping

Francesc Gimeno -Marine.jpg|On the Beach

(Barcelona) Llegint el diari - Francesc Gimeno - Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya.jpg|Reading the Newspaper

Francesc Gimeno- El pont d'Armentera o Torrentera.JPG|The Amentera Bridge

(Barcelona) Autoretrat - Francesc Gimeno - 1925 - MNAC.jpg|Self-portrait (1925)

{{reflist}}

{{hatnote|This article contains text translated from Catalan Wikipedia}}

• Joan Mates, El pintor Gimeno, Barcelona: Edicions La Mà Trencada, 1935
• Josep Pla, Francesc Gimeno, pintor, el vell (1858-1927), from Homenots, third series, Barcelona: Edicions Destino, 1972
• Francesc Miralles, Francesc Gimeno, passió i llibertat, Barcelona: Viena Edicions, 2005 {{ISBN|978-84-83303-64-1}}

{{commonscat|Francesc Gimeno|Francesc Gimeno i Arasa}}

• [http://www.artnet.com/artists/francisco-gimeno-arasa/ More works by Gimeno] @ ArtNet
• [https://www.museodelprado.es/aprende/enciclopedia/voz/gimeno-arasa-francisco/028980af-fc1c-4886-af99-73688d177921 Gimeno] @ the Museo del Prado

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Category:1858 births

Category:1927 deaths

Category:Painters from Catalonia

Category:Spanish landscape painters

Category:People from Tortosa