Fortuny died in 1874, and Elvira became ill, so he returned to Barcelona and settled there permanently. She died in 1877, and he never remarried. He opened a private drawing and painting school; attended by Santiago Rusiñol and Hermenegildo Anglada Camarasa, among others and, after 1877, served as a Professor at the Escola. From 1882, he held the same position at the "Escuela de Artes y Oficios" in Vilanova i la Geltrú. In 1883, he created the "Centro de Acuarelistas" (watercolorists) which later became the Cercle Artístic de Sant Lluc. In 1888, he was artistic advisor for the Barcelona Universal Exposition.