Lluís Graner Facts for Kids

In this Catalan name, the first or paternal family name is Graner and the second or maternal family name is Arrufí; both are generally joined by the conjunction "i".

Lluís Graner, painted by Ramon Casas

Lluís Graner i Arrufí (born February 5, 1863 – died May 7, 1929) was a Spanish painter. He was known for his art style called Realism. This means he painted things to look very true to life.

Lluís Graner's Life
His Big Art Project
Later Years and Travels
Selected paintings
See also

Lluís Graner's Life

Lluís Graner was born in Barcelona, Spain. He started studying art in 1883. He went to a school called the Escola de la Llotja. There, he learned about colors and drawing from great teachers like Antoni Caba and Benet Mercadé.

In his last year of art school, Lluís received a special grant. This allowed him to study in Madrid. He spent time at the Museo del Prado, a famous art museum. He learned a lot by copying paintings by "Old Masters." These were very famous artists from the past.

After Madrid, he got another fellowship. This helped him move to Paris, France. Paris was a big art center at the time. He even joined the Academie des Beaux-Arts, a very important art academy. Later, he came back to Barcelona. But he kept traveling to many cities in Europe, like Berlin, Munich, and Düsseldorf.

His Big Art Project

Lluís Graner was inspired by a big idea called "Gesamtkunstwerk." This German word means "Total Work of Art." It was a concept from the composer Richard Wagner. Graner wanted to create a place where all kinds of art came together.

So, he opened a special place called "Sala Mercè" (Mercy Hall) in Barcelona. Many artists helped him with this project. It included painting, music, and even early cinematography (movies!). The famous architect Antoni Gaudí helped decorate the room.

Other artists like Adrià Gual, Santiago Rusiñol, and Ramon Casas also joined in. Even musicians like Enric Morera and Enrique Granados were part of it. At first, people were excited about the Sala Mercè.

But sadly, the project did not last long. It closed in 1908, after only four years. After this, Lluís Graner had to paint portraits for rich people to make a living.

Later Years and Travels

In his later life, Lluís Graner left Spain. He lived in many different places. He stayed in Havana, New York, and traveled to cities like Santiago, Buenos Aires, and Rio de Janeiro.

During these years, his friends often sent him money to help him live. He finally returned to Barcelona in 1928. This was just one year before he passed away. He held a big art show at the Hotel Ritz. Lluís Graner died in Barcelona.