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Josep Viladomat will posthumously receive the Order of Charlemagne of Andorra
The CAEE expands the sculptor's permanent exhibition with a bronze bust of Dr. Josep Estadella i Arnó.
The Escaldes-Engordany Art Center (CAEE) is expanding its collection dedicated to Josep Viladomat with the incorporation of a new bronze bust of Dr. Josep Estadella i Arnó, a work by the Catalan sculptor that will become part of the permanent exhibition that the center dedicates to his career.
The piece has arrived at the CAEE thanks to a temporary loan agreement formalized with the Estadella Esterri family, with the mediation of the Andorran Society of Sciences. The bust can now be seen at the center and joins a collection made up of around fifty works by Viladomat.
Born in Manlleu, Josep Viladomat i Massanas is considered one of the great Catalan sculptors of the 20th century. His work, mainly figurative, combines realism with a marked influence of the classical tradition and a special sensitivity in the treatment of the human body.
The Civil War profoundly marked his career. After participating in the Madrid front, Viladomat went into exile in France and later settled in Andorra, where he continued to develop his artistic activity. Among the works produced during this period, the sculpture dedicated to Pau Casals, modeled in 1940 in Prada de Conflent, stands out.
From the 1950s onwards, the artist alternated his residence between Barcelona and Andorra, where he received several institutional commissions. Among these are the Monument to Co-Prince Joan Benlloch, from 1966, and the Monument to the Centenary of the New Reform of Andorra, from 1967, located in the Casa de la Vall.
Viladomat died in Escaldes-Engordany on June 2, 1989. His connection with Andorra remains especially alive today through the CAEE, heir to the old Viladomat Museum, which preserves a significant part of his production. His work is also present in institutions such as the MNAC and the Abelló Museum in Mollet del Vallès.
A posthumous recognition of his career
The incorporation of the bust coincides with the institutional recognition of the sculptor. The Government of Andorra has announced that it will posthumously award the Order of Charlemagne to Josep Viladomat, one of the highest honorary distinctions of the Principality.
The recognition highlights his contribution to Andorran culture and his artistic career, especially the links he maintained with the country for much of his life. The Order of Charlemagne distinguishes people or entities that have made extraordinary contributions to Andorra, both during his lifetime and posthumously.
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