José Luis Zorrilla de San Martín
Encyclopedia
José Luis Zorrilla de San Martín (September 5, 1891- May 24, 1975) was a Uruguayan
sculptor.
One of the pivotal sculptors from Uruguay, he have significant impact in the monuments of the capital city of Montevideo
. His style displayed elements of aesthetic baroque
incorporated with modern sculpture.
, who served in the court of Alfonso XIII. For three years he moved to Paris, where he met Carlos Federico Sáez and would prove a strong influence in his interest and artistic style later. In 1898 he settled in Montevideo. His first oil painting portraits dating from 1906 show a great influence from Sáez. He studied at the Circulo de Bellas Artes with painter Vicente Puig and later received lessons from the sculptor Philip Menini (1909). Between 1911 and 1914, he made his firsts exhibitions.
, he had to stay in Florence
due to the outbreak of World War I
. He returned to Uruguay the following year and entered the Legislative Palace as an assistant sculptor. He won the International Competition to erect the monument Andalusia Gaucho (1922) and already married to Guma Muñoz del Campo, moved with their two daughters (Inés and Concepción, she will become the famous actress China Zorrilla
) to Paris soon after, where he set up a workshop and studied under the sculptor Antoine Bourdelle
.
The monument should be based in Brussels, as the best casting workshop of the French capital was occupied in the works of Antoine Bourdelle
, who later would be linked as a disciple and friend. That same year, he made "Old vizcacha" and the statue of José Gervasio Artigas in Paraguay.
From that time is "Saint Joseph and Child", aimed at a church in the island of Saint Louis. Parallel attended workshops Maillol, Despiau and Drivier. Introduced in 1925 Source Athletes in the Salon d'Automne (now located in the Park Rodó Montevideo), which received the Silver Medal.
He won the international competition for the equestrian monument to Argentinean General Julio Roca (1937) and opened a workshop in Buenos Aires for its implementation.
That year the Bishop of recumbent monuments Mariano Soler, First Archbishop of Montevideo, located in the Cathedral of that city. He was invited to attend the Paris Exposition of 1937 and declared a "guest of honor." In 1940, in turn, was invited to travel to the United States. UU., By President Franklin D. Roosevelt. In 1947 made the statue of Artigas is located in the Banco de la Republica Oriental del Uruguay (opened in 1949).
The Monument to Artigas, commissioned by the government of Argentina, was made in 1960, but its opening was delayed until 1971.
In 1966, during the inauguration of statue of Artigas, was invited by the government of Italy to attend the ceremony and was awarded the title of Commander. Another statue, El Viejo Pancho, located in the Plaza de la Libertad de Montevideo street, dates from 1969.
Between 1940 and 1961, was the Director of the National Museum of Visual Arts in Montevideo.
Married to Guma Muñoz del Campo, had five daughters, the second is the famous actress Concepción China Zorrilla
.
He died in Montevideo at 84 years of age.
In 1997 and after many proceedings the Uruguayan Ambassador Julio Pombo together with NY's City Hall, on Sep 24th, 1997, took place the inauguration of a statue to Jose Artigas located in Manhattan, Soho neighborhood in Soho Square between 6th Avenue of the Americas and Spring Street. Among the personalities that attended this inauguration, the Uruguayan ambassador, Foreign Affairs minister Alvaro Ramos, BID's President Enrique V. Iglesias
and NY City Parks Department Director, Mr. Henry Stern
, which thank in the name of the NY's City Hall the presence of this statue and he shortly described the highlights of Artigas's life.
His workshop in Punta Carretas is a museum next to the Museo Zorrilla devoted father.
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
sculptor.
One of the pivotal sculptors from Uruguay, he have significant impact in the monuments of the capital city of Montevideo
Montevideo
Montevideo is the largest city, the capital, and the chief port of Uruguay. The settlement was established in 1726 by Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, as a strategic move amidst a Spanish-Portuguese dispute over the platine region, and as a counter to the Portuguese colony at Colonia del Sacramento...
. His style displayed elements of aesthetic baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
incorporated with modern sculpture.
Early life
Born in 1891, he was the son of the writer Juan Zorrilla de San MartínJuan Zorrilla de San Martín
Juan Zorrilla de San Martín was a Uruguayan epic poet - he is referred as "National Poet of Uruguay" -and political figure . He is featured on the 20-peso note.-Well-known poems:...
, who served in the court of Alfonso XIII. For three years he moved to Paris, where he met Carlos Federico Sáez and would prove a strong influence in his interest and artistic style later. In 1898 he settled in Montevideo. His first oil painting portraits dating from 1906 show a great influence from Sáez. He studied at the Circulo de Bellas Artes with painter Vicente Puig and later received lessons from the sculptor Philip Menini (1909). Between 1911 and 1914, he made his firsts exhibitions.
Life in Europe
After receiving a scholarship from the Uruguayan government in 1914 to study in MunichMunich
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...
, he had to stay in Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
due to the outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. He returned to Uruguay the following year and entered the Legislative Palace as an assistant sculptor. He won the International Competition to erect the monument Andalusia Gaucho (1922) and already married to Guma Muñoz del Campo, moved with their two daughters (Inés and Concepción, she will become the famous actress China Zorrilla
China Zorrilla
China Zorrilla is an award-winning Uruguayan theater, film and television actress....
) to Paris soon after, where he set up a workshop and studied under the sculptor Antoine Bourdelle
Antoine Bourdelle
Antoine Bourdelle , originally Émile Antoine Bourdelle, was an influential and prolific French sculptor, painter, and teacher.-Career:...
.
The monument should be based in Brussels, as the best casting workshop of the French capital was occupied in the works of Antoine Bourdelle
Antoine Bourdelle
Antoine Bourdelle , originally Émile Antoine Bourdelle, was an influential and prolific French sculptor, painter, and teacher.-Career:...
, who later would be linked as a disciple and friend. That same year, he made "Old vizcacha" and the statue of José Gervasio Artigas in Paraguay.
From that time is "Saint Joseph and Child", aimed at a church in the island of Saint Louis. Parallel attended workshops Maillol, Despiau and Drivier. Introduced in 1925 Source Athletes in the Salon d'Automne (now located in the Park Rodó Montevideo), which received the Silver Medal.
Return to Uruguay
In 1925 he returned to Uruguay and the following year the monument was inaugurated. Work of years: a monument to the Battle of Sarandi (1930), decoration of the chapel of the Prison for Women (1930), equestrian statue of the Grito de Asencio (1936) and the constituents obelisco 1830 (also 1936 , sparkling granite 41 meters high with three allegorical bronze installed in the Parque José Batlle y Ordóñez de Montevideo).He won the international competition for the equestrian monument to Argentinean General Julio Roca (1937) and opened a workshop in Buenos Aires for its implementation.
That year the Bishop of recumbent monuments Mariano Soler, First Archbishop of Montevideo, located in the Cathedral of that city. He was invited to attend the Paris Exposition of 1937 and declared a "guest of honor." In 1940, in turn, was invited to travel to the United States. UU., By President Franklin D. Roosevelt. In 1947 made the statue of Artigas is located in the Banco de la Republica Oriental del Uruguay (opened in 1949).
The Monument to Artigas, commissioned by the government of Argentina, was made in 1960, but its opening was delayed until 1971.
In 1966, during the inauguration of statue of Artigas, was invited by the government of Italy to attend the ceremony and was awarded the title of Commander. Another statue, El Viejo Pancho, located in the Plaza de la Libertad de Montevideo street, dates from 1969.
Between 1940 and 1961, was the Director of the National Museum of Visual Arts in Montevideo.
Married to Guma Muñoz del Campo, had five daughters, the second is the famous actress Concepción China Zorrilla
China Zorrilla
China Zorrilla is an award-winning Uruguayan theater, film and television actress....
.
He died in Montevideo at 84 years of age.
In 1997 and after many proceedings the Uruguayan Ambassador Julio Pombo together with NY's City Hall, on Sep 24th, 1997, took place the inauguration of a statue to Jose Artigas located in Manhattan, Soho neighborhood in Soho Square between 6th Avenue of the Americas and Spring Street. Among the personalities that attended this inauguration, the Uruguayan ambassador, Foreign Affairs minister Alvaro Ramos, BID's President Enrique V. Iglesias
Enrique V. Iglesias
Enrique Valentín Iglesias García is an economist of Uruguayan-Spanish dual citizenship. He was once president of the Inter-American Development Bank, an international institution dedicated to furthering economic development in the Western Hemisphere through investment and policy...
and NY City Parks Department Director, Mr. Henry Stern
Henry Stern
Henry J. Stern ; was a member of the New York City Council from 1974 to 1983 and appointed as the Commissioner of the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation from 1983 to 1990 and again from 1994 to 2000.-Early life:...
, which thank in the name of the NY's City Hall the presence of this statue and he shortly described the highlights of Artigas's life.
His workshop in Punta Carretas is a museum next to the Museo Zorrilla devoted father.