Pedro Figari
Encyclopedia
Pedro Figari was a Uruguayan
painter
, lawyer
, writer
, and politician
. Although he did not begin the practice until his later years, he is best known as an early modernist painter who emphasized capturing the every-day aspects of life in his work. In most of his pieces], he attempts to capture the essence of his home by painting local customs
that he had observed in his childhood
.
Figari painted primarily from memory
, a technique that gives his work a far more personal feeling. With his unique style, which involved painting without the intention to create an illusion, he, along with other prominent Latin-American artists such as Diego Rivera and Tarsila do Amaral, sparked a revolution of identity in the art world of Latin America.
during his childhood, most of his life was devoted to the practice of law. In 1886 he received a degree in law. His position as a defense counsel for the poor exposed him to many social issues
that most likely influenced his art later on. During the same year in which he received his degree, Figari studied under Godofredo Sommavilla, an academically-trained Italian painter
, married, and went to France
. It was there that he was exposed to Post-Impressionism
, which also greatly influenced his art. “On his return to Uruguay he became actively involved in journalism, law and politics as well as fostering the creation of the Escuela de Bellas Artes. […] He was a member of the Uruguayan Parliament, president of the Ateneo of Montevideo and director of the Escuela Nacional de Artes y Oficios.”
Although people repeat that Figari did not actually begin to paint until his later life, he had always painted to some extent. His early paintings were “tight watercolor and oil
sketches [that had both] academic charm [and] the expert domestic intimacy of Manet
and Degas”.
It was not until 1921, at the age of 60, that Figari devoted himself completely to painting. He moved to Buenos Aires
and left behind the Italian style that he had adopted earlier in his career. Here, he “created figurative
compositions as arrangements of colour, reconstructing rather than documenting the Uruguayan scene; the geography
, gaucho
life, the celebrations, symbolic ritual
s and carnival
s of the local black community.” When he returned to Paris
in 1925, he continued to paint this subject matter from memory, which brought him recognition as a painter.
style when he began to paint seriously.
Figari painted during a period in which the members of the art community in South America
were in the process of struggling to find their own personal style. Mainly, they wanted to separate their style from that of the European
s. More often than not, paintings of the past depicted highly impersonal scenes; They were mainly historical events or figures. European paintings emphasized “quality of technique, attention to purely plastic values, [and] fantasy.” Figari is noted as one of the first painters to veer away form this typical European style and instead create something original and new. He “considered that European civilization had entailed the loss of a harmonious and simple life, while America offered the possibility of returning to the origins.” His preference for a return to origins mirrors the actual visual style of his paintings. Rather than painting objects accurately and informatively, Figari painted with the intent to capture the essence and feeling of a given moment. He says himself: “My painting is not simply a way of painting. Rather, it is a way of seeing, thinking, feeling. I am surprised I have been able to paint sensations, and not things, even before mastering completely pictoral techniques.” He rejects the idea to paint mechanistically determined matters, instead emphasizing energy and life. It is what is considered a naïve style: one that “allowed him to caricature the social conventions of the bourgeoisie in his native Uruguay with a sort of wide-eyed innocence.”
s.
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...
painter
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
, lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. Although he did not begin the practice until his later years, he is best known as an early modernist painter who emphasized capturing the every-day aspects of life in his work. In most of his pieces], he attempts to capture the essence of his home by painting local customs
Custom (law)
Custom in law is the established pattern of behavior that can be objectively verified within a particular social setting. A claim can be carried out in defense of "what has always been done and accepted by law." Customary law exists where:...
that he had observed in his childhood
Childhood
Childhood is the age span ranging from birth to adolescence. In developmental psychology, childhood is divided up into the developmental stages of toddlerhood , early childhood , middle childhood , and adolescence .- Age ranges of childhood :The term childhood is non-specific and can imply a...
.
Figari painted primarily from memory
Memory
In psychology, memory is an organism's ability to store, retain, and recall information and experiences. Traditional studies of memory began in the fields of philosophy, including techniques of artificially enhancing memory....
, a technique that gives his work a far more personal feeling. With his unique style, which involved painting without the intention to create an illusion, he, along with other prominent Latin-American artists such as Diego Rivera and Tarsila do Amaral, sparked a revolution of identity in the art world of Latin America.
Life and training
Pedro Figari was born in 1861, and he would become the famous artist we know now. Although he showed an interest in artArt
Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
during his childhood, most of his life was devoted to the practice of law. In 1886 he received a degree in law. His position as a defense counsel for the poor exposed him to many social issues
Social issues
Social issues are controversial issues which relate to people's personal lives and interactions. Social issues are distinguished from economic issues...
that most likely influenced his art later on. During the same year in which he received his degree, Figari studied under Godofredo Sommavilla, an academically-trained Italian painter
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
, married, and went to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. It was there that he was exposed to Post-Impressionism
Post-Impressionism
Post-Impressionism is the term coined by the British artist and art critic Roger Fry in 1910 to describe the development of French art since Manet. Fry used the term when he organized the 1910 exhibition Manet and Post-Impressionism...
, which also greatly influenced his art. “On his return to Uruguay he became actively involved in journalism, law and politics as well as fostering the creation of the Escuela de Bellas Artes. […] He was a member of the Uruguayan Parliament, president of the Ateneo of Montevideo and director of the Escuela Nacional de Artes y Oficios.”
Although people repeat that Figari did not actually begin to paint until his later life, he had always painted to some extent. His early paintings were “tight watercolor and oil
Oil painting
Oil painting is the process of painting with pigments that are bound with a medium of drying oil—especially in early modern Europe, linseed oil. Often an oil such as linseed was boiled with a resin such as pine resin or even frankincense; these were called 'varnishes' and were prized for their body...
sketches [that had both] academic charm [and] the expert domestic intimacy of Manet
Manet
-MANET as an abbreviation:*MANET is a mobile ad hoc network, a self-configuring mobile wireless network.*MANET database or Molecular Ancestry Network, bioinformatics database-People with the surname Manet:*Édouard Manet, a 19th-century French painter....
and Degas”.
It was not until 1921, at the age of 60, that Figari devoted himself completely to painting. He moved to 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...
and left behind the Italian style that he had adopted earlier in his career. Here, he “created figurative
Figurative art
Figurative art, sometimes written as figurativism, describes artwork—particularly paintings and sculptures—which are clearly derived from real object sources, and are therefore by definition representational.-Definition:...
compositions as arrangements of colour, reconstructing rather than documenting the Uruguayan scene; the geography
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
, gaucho
Gaucho
Gaucho is a term commonly used to describe residents of the South American pampas, chacos, or Patagonian grasslands, found principally in parts of Argentina, Uruguay, Southern Chile, and Southern Brazil...
life, the celebrations, symbolic ritual
Ritual
A ritual is a set of actions, performed mainly for their symbolic value. It may be prescribed by a religion or by the traditions of a community. The term usually excludes actions which are arbitrarily chosen by the performers....
s and carnival
Carnival
Carnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party...
s of the local black community.” When he returned 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...
in 1925, he continued to paint this subject matter from memory, which brought him recognition as a painter.
Style
Pedro Figari clearly has a style of his own. Although he was heavily influenced by Italian art earlier in his career, he managed to reconnect with a more naïveNaïve art
Naïve art is a classification of art that is often characterized by a childlike simplicity in its subject matter and technique. While many naïve artists appear, from their works, to have little or no formal art training, this is often not true...
style when he began to paint seriously.
Figari painted during a period in which the members of the art community in South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
were in the process of struggling to find their own personal style. Mainly, they wanted to separate their style from that of the European
European ethnic groups
The ethnic groups in Europe are the various ethnic groups that reside in the nations of Europe. European ethnology is the field of anthropology focusing on Europe....
s. More often than not, paintings of the past depicted highly impersonal scenes; They were mainly historical events or figures. European paintings emphasized “quality of technique, attention to purely plastic values, [and] fantasy.” Figari is noted as one of the first painters to veer away form this typical European style and instead create something original and new. He “considered that European civilization had entailed the loss of a harmonious and simple life, while America offered the possibility of returning to the origins.” His preference for a return to origins mirrors the actual visual style of his paintings. Rather than painting objects accurately and informatively, Figari painted with the intent to capture the essence and feeling of a given moment. He says himself: “My painting is not simply a way of painting. Rather, it is a way of seeing, thinking, feeling. I am surprised I have been able to paint sensations, and not things, even before mastering completely pictoral techniques.” He rejects the idea to paint mechanistically determined matters, instead emphasizing energy and life. It is what is considered a naïve style: one that “allowed him to caricature the social conventions of the bourgeoisie in his native Uruguay with a sort of wide-eyed innocence.”
Relationship to artistic movements
During his travels in Europe, Pedro Figari was exposed to a large about of Post-Impressionist art. His own paintings showed early modernist traits, as they had an emphasis on flatness and the surface of the canvas. Modernist painting rejected the idea of creating an illusion on the canvas. Rather than focusing on the form and technique of the work, modernist painters brought attention to the content. Much like this, Figari’s paintings highlighted the materials that were used. He did not paint with the intention to portray a subject realistically; He painted to capture the ideas a feeling behind a piece, and did this by using certain brush-strokes that were determined by what was appropriate for the part of the piece he was painting. Although something in his piece might academically be considered poorly drawn, it is more often than not far more expressive than the most accurate paintings of the Old MasterOld Master
"Old Master" is a term for a European painter of skill who worked before about 1800, or a painting by such an artist. An "old master print" is an original print made by an artist in the same period...
s.
Legacy
The legacy of Pedro Figari is one of freedom and expression. By distancing himself from a common European style that permitted only academic traditions, he helped viewers learn to celebrate the culture of their country. He has said that he intended to “elevate [Uruguayan] culture and make [people] love the American things that are so very much [their own].” By creating his own style that embodied Uruguay, he bestowed upon the people of the country a sense of pride and love. They no longer felt obligated to adopt the customs of European countries. Instead, they immersed themselves in the history and roots of their own.List of exhibitions
- Drawings in Latin America, 1998, Museum of Modern Art (New York)
- Taller Pedro Figari, 1956, Salto
- Paintings by Pedro Figari, 1947, Museum of Fine Arts (Houston)
- Paintings and Prints by Artists of Various Nations, 1942, Museum of Fine Arts (Houston)
- Latin American Artists of the 20th Century, 1993, Museum of Modern Art (New York)
List of artworks
- Candombe Bajo La Luna, 1922 (Alfredo Gonzalez Garano Collection)
- Pericon En La Estancia, 1924 (Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes)
- En Familia, 1924 (Andres Garmendia Uranga Collection)
- Pericon, 1925 (Roque Freire Collection)
- Del Entierro, 1928 (Alejandro Shaw Collection)
- Candombe, 1924 (Roque Freire Collection)
- Patio Colonial, 1924 (Raul C. Monsegur Collection)
- El Cielito Bajo El Monte, 1923 (Celina Gonzalez Garano Collection)
- Entierro, 1921 (Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes)
- La Pampa, 1927 (Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes)
Sources and further reading
- Baddeley, Oriana, and Valerie Fraser. Drawing the Line: Art and Cultural Identity in Contemporary Latin America. New York: Verso, 1989.
- Basaldua, Emilio. “Hector Basaldua and the Colon Theater: Thirty Years of Stage Design.” The Journal of Decorative and Propaganda Arts 18 (1992): 32-53.
- Berndtson, Arthur. “Review: La filosofia en el Uruguay en el siglo XX.” The Americas 13.4 (1957): 424-427.
- Castillo, Jorge. “The Development of a Style.” XXIII Bienal Internacional de Sao Paolo. 8 Dec. 1996
- Haber, Alicia. “Vernacular Culture in Uruguayan Art: An Análisis of the Documentary Function of the Works of: Pedro Figari, Carlos Gonzalez and Luis Solari.” Occasional Papers Series 2 (1982).
- Kalenberg, Angel. “Figari, Pedro”. Encyclopedia of Latin American & Caribbean Art. Ed. Jane Turner. 1 vol. New York: New York, 2000.
- Mac Lean, Carlos A. Herrera. Pedro Figari. Buenos Aires: Editorial Poseidon, 1943.
- Manly, Marianne. “Painting and Traditions.” Art Museum of the Americas.
- Sanjurjo, Annick. “Pedro Figari (1861-1938)”. Contemporary Latin American Artists: Exhibitions at the Organization of American States 1941-1964. Ed. Annick Sanjurjo. 1 vol. Maryland: Lanham, 1997.
- Szyszlo, Fernando de. “Contemporary Latin American Painting. A Brief Survey.” College Art Journal 19 (1959-1960): 134-135.
External links
- PEDRO FIGARI at www.pedrofigari.com
- Bienal - Special guests - Pedro Figari at www1.uol.com.br
- Pedro Figari at www.museum.oas.org
- MNBA - Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes - Argentina at www.mnba.org.ar