He studied at La Llotja, the Barcelona School of Fine Arts, and was a pupil of the painter Ramon Martí i Alsina. At the same time he started degrees in engineering and architecture, but never finished either of them. He went to Rome with his brother Josep Llimona, where he studied with Antoni Fabrés.

In 1890 he held an exhibition at Sala Parés (Petritxol, 5) which brought him considerable recognition and shortly afterwards, together with his brother, he founded the Cercle Artístic de Sant Lluc (Artistic Circle of Saint Luke), of which he was the first chairperson. His painting was therefore mainly on religious themes, in accordance with the idea that art must serve religion. Examples of this are Lectura (Reading, 1891; MNAC collection) and Tornant del tros (Returning from the Plot, 1896; MNAC collection). Nevertheless, his work had a renovating air about it, as can be seen in the paintings on the dome of the former niche of the Virgin of Montserrat (1896-1898, Montserrat Abbey).

He published articles on the aesthetics of art in La Veu de Catalunya and Catalunya Social. He also designed posters, but always in a fairly academic style.