He was born to the humble family of a city official and was orphaned at the age of eight.Biography @ the Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana He was then raised by his godfather, who was opposed to his plans to become an artist. Accordingly, he began to study philosophy (and eventually earned a bachelor's degree in that subject) but also attended night classes at the Escola de la Llotja. His first attempts at being a professional artist took place in his mother's home town of Mataró, where he gained a modest reputation with the local bourgeoisie as a portrait painter. At this time, his primary inspiration still came from nature; spending his free time painting in the mountains and along the coast of Maresme.
