Josep Pla-Narbona (1928–2020) passed away last Sunday, December 13, in Sant Cugat del Vallès at the age of 92, due to terminal cancer.
Considered one of the greatest Spanish graphic artists in history, he leaves behind an important artistic legacy through his advertising posters, paintings, and engravings.
Among his advertising work, some of his most popular pieces were created for products such as Polil and Nescafé, but he will be especially remembered for his collaborations with the Uriach Laboratories, with whom he worked for over 40 years, producing true works of art for products such as Biodramina, Lipomin, Pacetyn, and Dolmen.
Born in Barcelona in 1928, Pla-Narbona began his artistic training as an apprentice in advertising drawing workshops with artists such as J. Artigas and R. Fábregas at the School of Arts and Crafts of Barcelona, as well as at the advertising agency R.L. Dupuy in Paris.
A renowned engraver and painter, he received the National Design Award in 2004 and the Creu de Sant Jordi in 2019 for being a model in his discipline, opening new paths for future generations, and earning broad international recognition. He received numerous awards, and his works have been exhibited in some of the world’s finest museums, such as the Baltimore Museum of Art, the Muzeum Narodowe in Warsaw, and the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Alongside his professional work, Pla-Narbona was also a pioneer in professional associations: he was the first president of the graphic designers’ association Grafistas-Agrupación FAD (today known as ADG-FAD), and also the first president of the Spanish group of the Alliance Graphique Internationale.
The Uriach Foundation, which preserves his works created for the Uriach Laboratories, wishes to honor the memory of this great artist.