Born into a family of goldsmiths, he started to train as one, but soon went over to painting and then, at the turn of the century, dedicated himself completely to literature.

He did his artistic training at La Llotja, the Barcelona School of Fine Arts, where he became friends with I. Nonell and R. Canals. In 1893 he started to do some paintings (Interior d´església [Church Interior], 1894; Institut d´Art i Investigació, Barcelona), but very soon had to devote more of his time to his father´s goldsmith´s workshop, a job he performed throughout his entire professional life. During his mature period he turned to literature and published stories, novels and one or two plays under the nom de plume of J.V. Colomines. His work always dealt with marginal social subjects.

He was a regular at the literary and artistic discussions at the Quatre Gats café.