Courtyard of the old Barcelona prison c. 1894

"Courtyard of the old Barcelona prison" is a painting by Ramón Casas, a prominent Catalan artist, executed around 1894. The artwork captures the austere beauty of a prison courtyard, featuring a central, expansive dirt space with a towering wall on the left and a row of bare trees lining the perimeter. The buildings flanking the courtyard exhibit a stark, industrial aesthetic, highlighting the harsh realities of urban life and the confinement within prison walls. Casas's use of muted tones and soft brushstrokes creates a sense of isolation and introspection, inviting viewers to contemplate the experience of imprisonment.