The 'Galeria blanca' of Rusiñol and 'Platja de Sitges' by Miró i Argenter recover their light

One of the oil paintings that Santiago Rusiñol painted in his first years in Sitges, Galeria blanca , and one of the most emblematic paintings by Joaquim de Miró i Argenter, Platja de Sitges (1895), have gone through the restoration workshop of the Heritage Consortium of Sitges, where the paintings were subjected to a meticulous work in order to recover his light and isplendor. Both works are part of the Maricel Museum's collection and their recovery is part of the restoration program carried out by Sitges Museums with the works of their collections.

The restiration at Galeria blanca has already been completed and focused on both oil and in the framework that supports it. The fabric had several losses and suffered a darkening over the years. The restoration has included the consolidation of the pictorial layer, the cleaning of the piece and the support, a varnishing and the pictorial reintegration, as well as other technical executions applied in this type of intervention. In the framework, some supports have been added to better hold the work.

Galeria blanca dates back to 1893 and is part of the Cau Ferrat fund of the Maricel Museum. It is a portrait of the Sitges found by Rusiñol, when he arrived, in October 1891. The work reflects the influence of the painters of the Luminist School and shows the luminous contrasts characteristic of Rusiñol during his first years in Sitges.

For its part, the restoration of Platja de Sitges (1895), by Joaquim de Miró, is currently under execution. As in the case of the Rusiñol's piece, it is carried out by the person responsible for the restoration of Sitges Museums, Pep Pascual. The piece of Miró i Argenter is also requiring cleaning and consolidation of the pictorial layer, as well as a varnishing and reintegration of support.

The Museums of Sitges have eight works by Joaquim Miró i Argenter, six of which are part of the collection of the Maricel Museum and two of the Cau Ferrat. The last piece entered is Vista del Baluard and the beach from El Greco (1908), acquired by the Heritage Consortium of Sitges last year. In all cases, those are landscapes and visions of Sitges from the turn of the century.

At the same time, last week culminated the process of restoration of the sculpture La Sirena (1965), by Pere Jou, which has been carried out in the last months in a joint initiative of the Department of Culture and the Heritage Consortium of Sitges. The Mermaid already shines in place at the breakwater of La Punta, after the meticulous restoration work that was carried out.