Josep Plaja (born 1955 in Palafrugell, Girona) is a renowned Catalan landscape painter rooted in the tradition of the Empordà School. Trained at the prestigious Escola Massana in Barcelona, Plaja defines his own style as Neorealism, though critics often describe it as Neo-impressionism due to his masterful handling of light and atmospheric vibration. His technique is characterized by a confident, spontaneous brushstroke, often honed through his success in “fast painting” (plein air) competitions, and a vibrant color palette that captures the specific clarity of the Mediterranean coast. Plaja focuses on the “impression” of the scene, allowing the texture of the oil to construct the forms of land and water.
Josep Plaja is a fixture in the Catalan art scene, with a solid market presence established through decades of exhibitions in galleries such as El Claustre (Girona/Figueres) and Port 25 (L’Escala). While he is best known for his contemporary views of towns like Calella de Palafrugell and L’Escala, works like this demonstrate his capacity to tackle historical or “capriccio” subjects, applying his modern understanding of light to classic marine compositions.
