LIBRO CERCLE

43 TheCircle and the world of art T hroughout its history, the Circle has survived many vicissitudes, on many occasions saved thanks to the sale of part of its great artisticheritage, nowbeing recovered. Itsartisticholdingsare still tru- ly magnificent, with works by Josep Clarà, Josep Llimona andMarià Fortunyamongst someof thebetter-knownartists. Throughout its long history theCirclehascompletely interestingacquisitionssoas tocom- pile an important artistic collection, some of which have come from donations from the artists themselves -many of themmembers of the club- or from their heirs. Thisvaluableartisticheritagehasbeenavery useful support in times of economicdifficulty. Fromwhen themayor Rius i Taulet entrustedwithCirclewith organis- ing theFineArt sectionof theUniversal Exhibition in1888, theprestige of institutionhasgrownandgrown, tobeubiquitous inalmost anything artistic that might appear in, or even beyond the city, coordinating the participation of Catalan artists in various exhibitions whose main object was to promote Catalan art beyond its borders. Its presence was required in countless cultural and artistic events throughout the entire country, creating close links with most of the most prestigious art galleries, offical schools and art collections. Between 1918 and 1923, the Circle brought together a magnificent selection of recognised artists, many of which became part of the frequent exhibitions that Barcelona City Hall organised. The iconic Genius of the Arts statue that crowns the façade of the building was designed for and exhibited at the 1900 National Exhibition. It was in this same exhibition in 1918, held in the Palace of Fine Arts, that the Circle began to enrich its painting collections with works by Santia- go Rusiñol, Ramón Casas, Enric Galwey, José Pinazo, JoaquimMir, Carlos Vázquez or RicardOpisso amongst others until it was officially inaugurated in 1969withworks that went from 1880 to 1930. In 1965, as a result of the sculpture competition organised by the institution, the sculptures that currently decorate the four alcoves of the hall of The Four Seasons were incorporated into the collection. Beyond the valuable paintings, the Circle has always maintained close links with prestigious galleries andmuseums tomaximise the effect of the exhi- bitions it organises. In its various headquarters, the rcab has been home to contempo- raryart exhibitions throughout itswholehistory, displayingagreat lev- el of sensitivity towards new forms and techniques of expression. Its noble halls have witness presentations, projections and exchanged with a large number of art fairs and festivals, ever showing its great