Olot school facts for kids
The Olot school of landscape painting is a group of artists who created a special way of painting in the late 1800s. These artists were not just from Olot, a town in Catalonia, Spain. They were also inspired by the beautiful countryside around Olot. This area is called Garrotxa.
History of the Olot School
In Catalonia, painting became very popular during a time of economic growth. This growth helped a group of wealthy people, called the bourgeoisie, to support a cultural rebirth. They liked art that looked real, but was also pleasant, elegant, and hopeful. Painting was their favorite type of art. During this time, several art schools began, including the Olot school.
The Olot school of landscape painting is similar to the Barbizon school in France. It was started by Joaquim Vayreda and Marian Vayreda i Vila, with help from Ramón Martí Alsina. They developed a new way of painting the Olot countryside. They focused on how light looked and how colors changed. The Olot school used the Garrotxa countryside as their main inspiration.
Vayreda's paintings caught the eye of many other artists. These included Laureà Barrau, Enric Galwey, Joan Brull, Lluís Masriera, Modest Urgell, Ramon Casas, and Santiago Rusiñol. They all visited Olot and painted the local landscapes too.
_1908.jpg)
The Olot school was also supported by the founding of the Olot Art School. This school began in 1783 thanks to Bishop Tomás de Lorenzana. Workshops that made religious statues and images also helped. The first workshop, "El Arte Cristiano," started in 1880. Making religious images grew a lot around 1900 in Olot. It became a very important part of the city's economy. Today, the old Arte Cristiano factory is now the Museum of the Saints (Museo de los Santos).
Painter Josep Berga i Boix helped make the Olot school official. He was the director of the Olot Artistic and Cultural Center, which Vayreda founded in 1869. Later, from 1877 to 1914, he directed the Public School of Drawing. Annual art shows were organized first by the Artistic and Cultural Center and then by other groups.
Many other artists continued the traditions of the Olot school. They often trained at the Public School of Drawing. This school was later called the Escola de Belles Arts i Oficis starting in 1939. Directors like Ivó Pascual, Martí Casadevall, Bartomeu Mas y Collellmir, and Joan Vilà i Moncau taught there. Other artists from this movement include Josep Berga i Boada, Josep Clarà, Melcior Domenge, and Josep Pinós.
The Olot School Today
The Drawing Festival (Fira del Dibuix) happens every year in Olot on the Day of Sant Lluc. This festival brings together many artists. They sell their artworks directly to the public. The festival was first for selling drawings and sketches. But now, you can find art made in many different ways.
Since 2003, the Olot Art School has been called the Superior School of Art and Design. It added a degree in interior design. A graphic design degree was added in 2007. Today, more than 400 students attend the school. Many come from nearby areas.
Today, the name "Olot school" is not always used. Especially the term "Olot school of landscape painting" is debated. This is because not all artists connected to Olot paint landscapes. Also, not all artists linked to the school live or work in the city of Olot itself.
See also
In Spanish: Escuela paisajística de Olot para niños
