Lino Enea Spilimbergo
Encyclopedia
Lino Enea Spilimbergo (12 August 1896 – 16 March 1964) was an Argentine
artist and engraver, and he is considered to be one of the country's most important painters.
He was born in Buenos Aires
in 1896, the son of Italian immigrants, Antonio Enea Spilimbergo and María Giacoboni, and his full name was Lino Claro Honorio Enea Spilimbergo. His early years were spent in the Buenos Aires neighborhood of Palermo
. Whilst visiting his mother's relatives in northern Italy with his family he contracted pneumonia
, which in later years caused him to suffer from asthma
. Returning to Buenos Aires in 1902 he started his schooling, which ended in 1910, when he began working for the post office to support himself. From then on, until 1924, he kept this job in parallel with his painting. In 1917, he graduated from the Academia Nacional de Bellas Artes and in September of that year his father died.
At the age of 22, he began writing his autobiography, and in 1920 he wrote a booklet about his thoughts, in order to arrange and organize his life and work. In 1921 the Salón Nacional de Bellas Artes accepted, for the first time, one of his pieces and later that year, following the recommendation of his doctor to live in a place with a drier climate, his employer agreed to relocate him to Desamparados in San Juan Province
. He stayed there until he resigned his job in 1924, and it was during this period that he had his first individual exhibition.
Using prize money he had won in an art exhibition, he traveled to Europe in 1925 and visited Florence
, Venice
, Palermo
and other Italian cities in search of classical art sources, paying particular attention to fresco
s. He then moved to Paris
where he studied in the studio of the French painter, sculptor and writer André Lhote
and came under the influence of post-cubism and the work of Paul Cézanne
.
In 1928, he returned to Argentina to live in Las Lomitas
, San Juan Province, and in 1929, his son Antonio was born. A year later, he moved back to Buenos Aires and in 1933, together with the Mexican artist David Alfaro Siqueiros
and the Argentine artists Antonio Berni
and Lozano produced the mural entitled Ejercicio Plástico. To explain their principles and ideas, the group produced a document under the same title. The involvement in this work was a decisive event in Spilimbergo's life and marked the start of his career as a muralist.
In 1945, together with Berni, Juan Carlos Castagnino
, Manuel Colmeiro Guimarás and Demetrio Urruchúa, he was one of the contributors to the frescos which decorate the large central cupola of Galerías Pacífico
on pedestrian Florida Street
, Buenos Aires.
During his years as a painter, Spilimbergo developed a very personal synthesis of diverse styles, in particular the classical and the modern. From the post-impressionism of his first period, dominated by landscapes and local scenes, he later passed on to a study of the human figure. His figures were solid and monumental and the surreal and metaphorical often found its way into his works. His subjects included the marginalised and the disinherited, from the slum dwellers of Buenos Aires to the rural workers of the northern provinces.
He taught art at Instituto de Arte Gráfico during the period 1934–1939 where his students included Medardo Pantoja (1906–1976), Eolo Pons
(1914), Luis Lusnich (1911–1995), and Leopoldo Presas
(1915). At the National University of Cuyo
, he his students included Carlos Alonso
. Spilimbergo's pictures were widely exhibited in Latin America, the United States and Europe during this period.
Spilimbergo died in 1964 in the small town of Unquillo
in Córdoba Province
, where he had lived since 1952.
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
artist and engraver, and he is considered to be one of the country's most important painters.
He was born in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
in 1896, the son of Italian immigrants, Antonio Enea Spilimbergo and María Giacoboni, and his full name was Lino Claro Honorio Enea Spilimbergo. His early years were spent in the Buenos Aires neighborhood of Palermo
Palermo, Buenos Aires
Palermo is a neighborhood, or barrio of the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires. It is located in the northeast of the city, bordering the barrios of Belgrano to the north, Almagro and Recoleta to the south, Villa Crespo and Colegiales to the west and the Río de la Plata river to the east. With a total...
. Whilst visiting his mother's relatives in northern Italy with his family he contracted pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
, which in later years caused him to suffer from asthma
Asthma
Asthma is the common chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and bronchospasm. Symptoms include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath...
. Returning to Buenos Aires in 1902 he started his schooling, which ended in 1910, when he began working for the post office to support himself. From then on, until 1924, he kept this job in parallel with his painting. In 1917, he graduated from the Academia Nacional de Bellas Artes and in September of that year his father died.
At the age of 22, he began writing his autobiography, and in 1920 he wrote a booklet about his thoughts, in order to arrange and organize his life and work. In 1921 the Salón Nacional de Bellas Artes accepted, for the first time, one of his pieces and later that year, following the recommendation of his doctor to live in a place with a drier climate, his employer agreed to relocate him to Desamparados in San Juan Province
San Juan Province (Argentina)
San Juan is a province of Argentina, located in the western part of the country. Neighbouring provinces are, moving clockwise from the north, La Rioja, San Luis and Mendoza. It borders with Chile at the west....
. He stayed there until he resigned his job in 1924, and it was during this period that he had his first individual exhibition.
Using prize money he had won in an art exhibition, he traveled to Europe in 1925 and visited 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....
, Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
, Palermo
Palermo
Palermo is a city in Southern Italy, the capital of both the autonomous region of Sicily and the Province of Palermo. The city is noted for its history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,700 years old...
and other Italian cities in search of classical art sources, paying particular attention to fresco
Fresco
Fresco is any of several related mural painting types, executed on plaster on walls or ceilings. The word fresco comes from the Greek word affresca which derives from the Latin word for "fresh". Frescoes first developed in the ancient world and continued to be popular through the Renaissance...
s. He then moved to 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...
where he studied in the studio of the French painter, sculptor and writer André Lhote
André Lhote
André Lhote was a French sculptor and painter of figure subjects, portraits, landscapes and still life. He was also very active and influential as a teacher and writer on art....
and came under the influence of post-cubism and the work of Paul Cézanne
Paul Cézanne
Paul Cézanne was a French artist and Post-Impressionist painter whose work laid the foundations of the transition from the 19th century conception of artistic endeavour to a new and radically different world of art in the 20th century. Cézanne can be said to form the bridge between late 19th...
.
In 1928, he returned to Argentina to live in Las Lomitas
Las Lomitas
Las Lomitas is a settlement in northern Argentina. It is located in Formosa Province....
, San Juan Province, and in 1929, his son Antonio was born. A year later, he moved back to Buenos Aires and in 1933, together with the Mexican artist David Alfaro Siqueiros
David Alfaro Siqueiros
José David Alfaro Siqueiros was a social realist painter, known for his large murals in fresco that helped establish the Mexican Mural Renaissance, together with works by Diego Rivera and José Clemente Orozco, and also a member of the Mexican Communist Party who participated in an...
and the Argentine artists Antonio Berni
Antonio Berni
Delesio Antonio Berni was a figurative artist, born in Rosario, province of Santa Fe, Argentina. He worked as a painter, an illustrator and an engraver. His father, Napoleón Berni, was an immigrant tailor from Italy...
and Lozano produced the mural entitled Ejercicio Plástico. To explain their principles and ideas, the group produced a document under the same title. The involvement in this work was a decisive event in Spilimbergo's life and marked the start of his career as a muralist.
In 1945, together with Berni, Juan Carlos Castagnino
Juan Carlos Castagnino
Juan Carlos Castagnino was an Argentine painter, architect, muralist and sketch artist.Born in the city of Mar del Plata, he studied in the Escuela de Bellas Artes in Buenos Aires, and became a disciple of Lino Enea Spilimbergo and Ramón Gómez Cornet.By the end of the 1920s, he became a member of...
, Manuel Colmeiro Guimarás and Demetrio Urruchúa, he was one of the contributors to the frescos which decorate the large central cupola of Galerías Pacífico
Galerías Pacífico
Galerías Pacífico is a shopping centre in Buenos Aires, Argentina, located at the intersection of Florida Street and Córdoba Avenue.-Overview:...
on pedestrian Florida Street
Florida Street
Florida Street is an elegant shopping street in Downtown Buenos Aires, Argentina. A pedestrian street since 1971, some stretches have been pedestrianized since 1913....
, Buenos Aires.
During his years as a painter, Spilimbergo developed a very personal synthesis of diverse styles, in particular the classical and the modern. From the post-impressionism of his first period, dominated by landscapes and local scenes, he later passed on to a study of the human figure. His figures were solid and monumental and the surreal and metaphorical often found its way into his works. His subjects included the marginalised and the disinherited, from the slum dwellers of Buenos Aires to the rural workers of the northern provinces.
He taught art at Instituto de Arte Gráfico during the period 1934–1939 where his students included Medardo Pantoja (1906–1976), Eolo Pons
Eolo Pons
Eolo Pons was an Argentine painter.Eolo Pons was born in Buenos Aires. He studied from 1935-38 in the studio of the influential Argentine painter and teacher Lino Enea Spilimbergo; among Pons' fellow students were his close friends figurative painters Leopoldo Presas and Luis Lusnich...
(1914), Luis Lusnich (1911–1995), and Leopoldo Presas
Leopoldo Presas
Leopoldo Presas was an Argentine artist. He experienced different styles throughout his life. He had academic training and started as a figurative painter though he later turned into expressionism as well. He tried several mediums as oil, tempera, charcoal and pencil on different supports including...
(1915). At the National University of Cuyo
National University of Cuyo
The National University of Cuyo is the largest center of higher education in the province of Mendoza, Argentina....
, he his students included Carlos Alonso
Carlos Alonso
Carlos Alonso , is a contemporary Argentine painter, draftsman and printmaker. Though he was a Social realist in his early career, he is best known as a New realist. Beef is a common element in his work....
. Spilimbergo's pictures were widely exhibited in Latin America, the United States and Europe during this period.
Spilimbergo died in 1964 in the small town of Unquillo
Unquillo
Unquillo is a city in the province of Córdoba, Argentina. It has 15,369 inhabitants as per the . It is located about 22 km north-northwest from the center of the provincial capital, Córdoba City, and 14 km east of Cosquín....
in Córdoba Province
Córdoba Province (Argentina)
Córdoba is a province of Argentina, located in the center of the country. Neighboring provinces are : Santiago del Estero, Santa Fe, Buenos Aires, La Pampa, San Luis, La Rioja and Catamarca...
, where he had lived since 1952.