The Bell for Prayer

Modest Urgell, also known as Modest Urgell i Inglada (1839-1919), was not only a renowned painter but also a famous playwright from Catalonia (Spain). His painting, 'The Bell for Prayer' (El toc d'oració or Toque de oración), painted in 1876, is a master illustration of the Spanish Neo-Romanticism and the Realist landscape painter. As a painter, he was profoundly into solitude, melancholy, and quiet transition, which renders the expressionism of his art perfectly. The Bell for Prayer indicates a small stone hermitage or village church that stands on top of a small, rocky slope. It is surrounded by tall, vertical cypress trees, with quite serene scenery, set against a wide expanse of grass and other greenery. The scene is further enhanced by a lone stone cross in front of the structure, complementing the steps that ascend to the sacred ground. Besides that, a single stone cross can be seen in front of the structure, along with some steps leading up to the sacred site, emphasizing the spiritual nature of the location. Furthermore, the large expanse of sky at dusk is predominant on the canvas. A pale pink and orange hue colorizes the bottom part of the horizon, gradually transitioning to a soft gray and blue. Apart from that, the sky is filled with a few clouds, forming a resigned and melancholic scene of its landscape. Besides that, the painting's title, 'The Bell for Prayer, is in reference to the 'evening Angelus,' which is a Catholic call to prayer traditionally rung at dusk. The pendulum is not moving in any way, but the quiet of the surroundings creates a strong sound effect for viewers. Additionally, Urgell's color palette is tranquil and earth-toned. The foreground is in a deep shadow, featuring dark brown and olive green hues in contrast to the bright, glowing sky. In this low-angled view, the elements of architecture and nature are pushed upward, making them silhouetted subjects in a large ritual of nature and the faith of the day. The work itself is an embodiment of those changes from idealized, academic settings to an emotional, internalized understanding of nature. In 1876, he won the National Exhibition of Fine Arts in Madrid. Urgell does not try to represent an accurate topographic reality; instead, he uses the physical landscape to portray a profound interior attitude of contemplation and bittersweet nostalgic thought.