He enrolled in La Llotja, the Barcelona School of Fine Arts, but dropped out as soon as he had started. He presented his first work at the National Exhibition of Industrial Arts in Barcelona in 1892 and in 1897 went to Paris with his friend the artist I. Nonell, with whom he formed part of the group known as La Colla del Safrà (The Saffron Gang). There he received the influence of Impressionist painters, which is patent in works such as Interior de music-hall (Music Hall Interior, 1897; MNAC collection) and La toilette (circa 1903, MNAC collection). Shortly before that he had taken part in the Fifteenth Exhibition of Impressionist Painters with works on Spanish folkloric subjects using the Impressionists' techniques.

He was supported by the art dealer Durand-Ruel, who promoted him in New York by putting on a highly successful exhibition for him in 1902. On Durand-Ruel's recommendation, he made a trip around Spain taking in Seville, Madrid and Granada, which enabled him to get to know Spanish painters, who influenced him, particularly in his treatment of colour and light. Although he enjoyed a great deal of success in Paris, where Picasso, with whom he was good friends, also lived, he eventually returned to Barcelona in 1906. His works from his time in Paris include Cafè Concert (Café with Live Music, 1903; MNAC collection) and Al bar (At the Bar, 1910; MNAC collection). Following his return he gave up folkloric subjects to concentrate mainly on portraits and became very successful.

Shortly after this, in 1910, he turned towards the new aesthetic approaches of Noucentisme ("1900-ism", a term coined in 1906 to refer to 20th century Catalan culture) with which he remained until 1926. He was one of the founders and the chairperson of the society known as Les Arts i els Artistes (Arts and Artists), to which many artists of this new current belonged.

Apart from painting, at the end of his career he also took up poster design and engraving.