A sculpture competition

In 1961, the then mayor of Barcelona, Josep Maria de Porcioles i Colomer, launched a competition to provide the city’s new squares with sculptures. Ten works were selected from the works submitted, one of which was El Nen de la Rutlla by the artist Joaquim Ros i Bofarull.

Sculptor and xylographer

Joaquim Ros i Bofarull (Barcelona, 1906-1991) was a sculptor and xylographer, trained by masters such as the painter Francesc d’Assís Galí and the sculptor Pau Gargallo. Ros’s works are in the Noucentista-style and tend towards stylisation. He collaborated in the work on the Mare de Déu throne (1947) for the Montserrat monastery. He also created the groups Adoration of the Kings and Adoration of the Shepherds for the Birth facade of the Sagrada Família (1981-1982). As a xylographer he is one of the exponents of Catalan Noucentista engraving. The family donated the artist’s prints, documents and photographs to the Library of Catalonia.