Baldomer Gili i Roig

Baldomer Gili i Roig
(1900s, self-taken)

Baldomer Gili i Roig(19 October 1873,Lleida– 31 December 1926,Barcelona) was aSpanishpainter, draftsman and photographer.

Biography

His father was a teacher and editor. His brother, Gustau (Gustavo, 1868–1945), became the founder ofEditorial Gustavo Gili,a major publishing company. In 1882, the family moved toIrun,where he began his first art lessons withJosé Salís Camino,amarine artistand follower ofCamille Corot.Six years later, the family returned to Barcelona and he enrolled at theEscola de la Llotja.It was there that he came under the influence of theSorollistasand brightened his palette.

The Abyss (1906)

In 1890, he decided to go to Madrid and enter the "Escuela Especial de Pintura, Escultura y Grabado", attending the classes ofAlejo Vera,who he admired. Seven years later, he ventured to Munich to further his studies at theAcademy of Fine Arts,but was obliged to return home a year later due to the political crisis occasioned by the beginning of theSpanish–American War.In 1899, he had his first exhibition at theSala Parés.

The following year, he held his first showing in his hometown and, with the help ofJaume Morera,received a stipend from the local government to study in Italy.At first, he lived in aCapuchinmonastery near Rome, inFrascati,then at the Villa Strohl Fern in theVilla Borghese.While there, he sent paintings back to Lleida (to show that he was fulfilling the conditions of his stipend), and to an exposition in Paris. In 1901, he participated in theNational Exhibition of Fine Arts.

A variety of interests

La Ricitos (1912). Loosely translated: "The Woman of the Little Curls" (of smoke?)

After four years, he returned to Barcelona. In addition to his paintings, he provided illustrations for several notable publications, includingL'Esquella de la Torratxa.Many of his drawings were signed "L'Alegret" (possibly a reference toAlegret,the Gascon troubadour). He also tried his hand at being a playwright. In 1909, the Teatre Apolo premiered his musical comedyLa Canción de la Ninfa;written under the nom-de-plume "Emilio Roig", with music by Pedro Enrique de Ferrán.

He was fascinated with photography as well and almost always went about with a camera on hand, producing over a thousandglass plates,documenting the places and people in his life, which his descendants presented to theMuseu d'Art Jaume Morerain 2009.In fact, he had helped to organize the museum; travelling to Paris in 1915 to retrieve the paintings left there byXavier Gosé,which would be the museum's first major acquisition.

Over the next decade, he continued to exhibit frequently and widely throughout Europe and South America, visiting Buenos Aires and Montevideo in 1925. He died ofpneumoniaat the end of 1926.

Further reading

• Francesc Fontbona de Vallescar, et al.,Baldomer Gili Roig (1873–1926). L’objectiu del pinzell,Museu d'Art Jaume Morera, IMAC 2008ISBN84-968551-3-9
• Federico Lara Peinado, et al.,Obras del pintor Baldomero Gili i Roig (1973–1926) en el Museo de Arte Jaime Morera de Lérida. Introducción a su estudio.Lieida: Instituto de Estudios Ilerdenses, 1980.

External links

• Arcadja Auctions: More works by Gili i Roig.