Manolo Hugué (Manuel Martínez Hugué)

This artist is best known for his mature work, linked to Noucentisme ("1900-ism", a term coined in 1906 to refer to 20th century Catalan culture), but his early work was linked to the Modernista current.
He studied at La Llotja, the Barcelona School of Fine Arts, and was a member of the Cercle Artístic de Sant Lluc (Artistic Circle of Saint Luke) and of the group of artists that frequented Els Quatre Gats (Montsió, 3 bis). In 1901 he went to Paris where he came into contact with Picasso's circle, started to design Modernista-style engraved silverwork and worked as a model maker for L. Masriera. In 1909, following his stay in Paris, he settled in North Catalonia on the French side of the border and began a period in which he used a highly personal idiom in his sculpture.