Antonio Saura
Encyclopedia
Antonio Saura was a Spanish artist and writer, one of the major post-war painters to emerge in Spain in the fifties whose work has marked several generations of artists and whose critical voice is often remembered.
, having already been confined to his bed for five years. In his beginnings he created numerous drawings and paintings with a dreamlike surrealist character that most often represented imaginary landscapes, employing a flat smooth treatment that offers a rich palette of colors.
He claimed Hans Arp and Yves Tanguy
as his artistic influences.
He stayed in Paris
in 1952 and in 1954–1955 during which he met Benjamin Péret
and associated with the Surrealists, although he soon parted with the group, joining instead the company of his friend the painter Simon Hantaï
. Using the technique of scraping, he adopted a gestural style and created an abstract type of painting, still very colorful with an organic, aleatory design.
The first appearances in his work of forms that will soon become archetypes of the female body or the human figure occur in the mid-1950s. Starting in 1956 Saura tackled the register of what will prove to be his greatest works: women, nudes, self-portraits, shrouds and crucifixions, which he painted on both canvas and paper. In 1957 in Madrid
he founded the El Paso Group and served as its director until it broke up in 1960. During this period Saura met Michel Tapié
.
During the 1950s he had his first solo exhibition at the Rodolphe Stadler Gallery in Paris, where he regularly exhibited throughout his life. Stadler introduced him to Otto van de Loo in Munich
and Pierre Matisse
in New York City
, both of whom exhibited his work and represented him, and eventually his paintings were collected by major museums.
Limiting his palette to blacks, greys and browns, Saura asserted a personal style that was independent of the movements and trends of his generation. His work followed in the tradition of Velasquez and Goya. Starting in 1959 he began creating a prolific body of works in print, illustrating numerous books including Cervantes’s Don Quijote, Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four
, Nöstlinger’s adaptation of Pinocchio
, Kafka’s Tagebücher, Quevedo’s Three Visions, and many others.
In 1960 Saura began creating sculptures made of welded metal elements which represented the human figure, characters and crucifixions. In 1967 he settled permanently in Paris, and joined the opposition to the Franco dictatorship. In France he participated in numerous debates and controversies in the fields of politics, aesthetics and artistic creation. He also broadened his thematic and pictorial register. Along with his Femmefauteuil (literally "Womanarmchair"), he also worked on the series "Imaginary Portraits",and Goya’s Dog and Imaginary Portraits of Goya begin to take shape.
In 1971 he temporarily abandoned painting on canvas to devote himself to writing, drawing and painting on paper. In 1977 he began publishing his writings, and he created several stage designs for the theatre, ballet and opera, thanks to the collaboration with his brother, the film director Carlos Saura
. From 1983 to his death in 1998, he revisited all of his themes and figures.
Biography
He began painting and writing in 1947 in Madrid while suffering from tuberculosisTuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
, having already been confined to his bed for five years. In his beginnings he created numerous drawings and paintings with a dreamlike surrealist character that most often represented imaginary landscapes, employing a flat smooth treatment that offers a rich palette of colors.
He claimed Hans Arp and Yves Tanguy
Yves Tanguy
Raymond Georges Yves Tanguy , known as Yves Tanguy, was a French surrealist painter.-Biography:Tanguy was born in Paris, France, the son of a retired navy captain. His parents were both of Breton origin...
as his artistic influences.
He stayed in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in 1952 and in 1954–1955 during which he met Benjamin Péret
Benjamin Péret
Benjamin Péret was a French poet, Parisian Dadaist and a founder and central member of the French Surrealist movement with his avid use of Surrealist automatism.-Biography:...
and associated with the Surrealists, although he soon parted with the group, joining instead the company of his friend the painter Simon Hantaï
Simon Hantaï
Simon Hantaï is a painter generally associated with abstract art.-Biography:...
. Using the technique of scraping, he adopted a gestural style and created an abstract type of painting, still very colorful with an organic, aleatory design.
The first appearances in his work of forms that will soon become archetypes of the female body or the human figure occur in the mid-1950s. Starting in 1956 Saura tackled the register of what will prove to be his greatest works: women, nudes, self-portraits, shrouds and crucifixions, which he painted on both canvas and paper. In 1957 in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
he founded the El Paso Group and served as its director until it broke up in 1960. During this period Saura met Michel Tapié
Michel Tapié
Michel Tapié was an internationally active French critic, curator, and collector of art. He was an early and influential theorist and practitioner of "tachisme", which is generally regarded as the European equivalent of abstract expressionism...
.
During the 1950s he had his first solo exhibition at the Rodolphe Stadler Gallery in Paris, where he regularly exhibited throughout his life. Stadler introduced him to Otto van de Loo in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
and Pierre Matisse
Pierre Matisse
Pierre Matisse was an art dealer active in New York City. He was the youngest child of French painter Henri Matisse.-Background and early years:...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, both of whom exhibited his work and represented him, and eventually his paintings were collected by major museums.
Limiting his palette to blacks, greys and browns, Saura asserted a personal style that was independent of the movements and trends of his generation. His work followed in the tradition of Velasquez and Goya. Starting in 1959 he began creating a prolific body of works in print, illustrating numerous books including Cervantes’s Don Quijote, Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four
Nineteen Eighty-Four
Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell is a dystopian novel about Oceania, a society ruled by the oligarchical dictatorship of the Party...
, Nöstlinger’s adaptation of Pinocchio
Pinocchio
The Adventures of Pinocchio is a novel for children by Italian author Carlo Collodi, written in Florence. The first half was originally a serial between 1881 and 1883, and then later completed as a book for children in February 1883. It is about the mischievous adventures of Pinocchio , an...
, Kafka’s Tagebücher, Quevedo’s Three Visions, and many others.
In 1960 Saura began creating sculptures made of welded metal elements which represented the human figure, characters and crucifixions. In 1967 he settled permanently in Paris, and joined the opposition to the Franco dictatorship. In France he participated in numerous debates and controversies in the fields of politics, aesthetics and artistic creation. He also broadened his thematic and pictorial register. Along with his Femmefauteuil (literally "Womanarmchair"), he also worked on the series "Imaginary Portraits",and Goya’s Dog and Imaginary Portraits of Goya begin to take shape.
In 1971 he temporarily abandoned painting on canvas to devote himself to writing, drawing and painting on paper. In 1977 he began publishing his writings, and he created several stage designs for the theatre, ballet and opera, thanks to the collaboration with his brother, the film director Carlos Saura
Carlos Saura
Carlos Saura Atarés is a Spanish film director and photographer.-Early life:Born into a family of artists , he developed his artistic sense in childhood as a photography enthusiast.He obtained his directing diploma in Madrid in 1957 at the Institute of Cinema Research and Studies...
. From 1983 to his death in 1998, he revisited all of his themes and figures.
Individual Exhibitions
- Museum of Contemporary Art, Madrid (1956)
- Galerie Stadler, Paris (1957 & 1979)
- Falerie Van de Loo, Munich (1959)
- Pierre Matisse Gallery, NY (1961)
- The Stedelijk Museum, Eindhoven (1963)
- The Rotterdamsche Kunsling (1963)
- The Musée de Buenos Aires (1963)
- The Musée de Rio de Janeiro (1963)
- The Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam (1964)
- The Kunsthalle, Baden-Baden (1964)
- The Kunsthallen, Göteborg (1964)
- Institute of Contemporary Art, London (1965)
- Galerie Maeght, Barcelona (1975 & 1984)
- The Abbaye de Sénanque, Gordes (1985)
External links
- Chronology
- Official website of Succession Saura, Switzerland
- http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-antonio-saura-1168788.html Obituary in The Independent: Antonio Saura (by William Jeffett), 1 August 98
- http://www.guggenheim-bilbao.es/uploads/area_prensa/dossieres/en/doss_saura.pdf: Saura, Memory and Recollection, Hommage to Antonio Saura, Bilbao July 22, 2003