Anna Chromý facts for kids

Il Commandatore, in memory of Mozart's Don Giovanni premiered 29 October 1787, in the Estates Theatre in Prague.

Anna Chromy (born July 18, 1940 – died September 18, 2021) was a talented artist. She was both a painter and a sculptor. Anna was born in what is now the Czech Republic. After World War II, her family moved to Austria.

Anna always loved art, but her family didn't have money for art school. She finally got to study art after she got married and moved to Paris. She went to the famous École des Beaux-Arts. There, she became very interested in Salvador Dalí and other surrealist artists. She also loved using the soft colors seen in paintings by William Turner.

In 1992, Anna had an accident that stopped her from painting for eight years. During this time, she started making sculptures. She used materials like bronze and marble.

Anna's Early Life and Art Journey

Anna was born on July 18, 1940, in Krumau, Czechoslovakia. Her childhood in Bohemia first sparked her love for art. She was amazed by old palaces with their sculptures and paintings. When she was five, her family had to move to Austria.

In Austria, the music scene in Vienna and Salzburg greatly influenced Anna. This musical inspiration later showed up in many of her artworks. In 1970, Anna and her husband, Wolfgang, moved to Barbizon, France. This area was popular with artists who came to paint the beautiful forests. While there, Anna began her art studies in Paris.

Meeting Salvador Dalí

During her studies in Paris, Anna met the famous artist, Salvador Dalí. He became her teacher and a close friend. Dalí's unique style, called surrealism, really inspired Anna's imagination. She admired his work and the art of other surrealists like Max Ernst.

Anna even drew a charcoal picture of Dalí and his wife, Gala. She also included Dalí's image in her 1981 oil painting, "The Boat of Cadaces."

Art for Big Events

Starting in the 1980s, Anna's art became famous for many public events. In 1985, she created three sketches called "Faces of Peace" for the United Nations. Her painting, "Man, Earth, Universe," was chosen as the official painting for the 1992 World's Fair in Spain.

In 1985, Anna and her husband moved to Cap Martin, France. She turned her home into her own art museum. She painted angels on ceilings and dancing figures on doors. She even had a studio there where she painted her "Last Supper." Today, her sculpture "Coat of Saint Martin" stands at the entrance of Cap Martin.

Anna Chromy passed away on September 18, 2021, at 81 years old.

Anna's Art Studios

Anna Chromy had studios in Pietrasanta, Tuscany, Italy. This is where her bronze sculptures were made. For her marble sculptures, she worked at different studios in Pietrasanta and Carrara.

In 2002, Anna's sculpture, "The Heart of the World," was given to Pope John Paul II. This happened in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican. In 2008, Anna won the "Primo Michelangelo" award. This is the highest award for a sculptor in Italy.

Musical Inspiration in Sculpture

Anna never forgot the musical influence from Austria. She was the first sculptor to create life-size bronze figures from the opera "Don Giovanni." In 2000, her "Don Giovanni and the Sound of Bronze Exhibition" in Prague was a huge success.

Today, Anna's fountain of Czech musicians is in Prague's Semovazni Square. Her sculpture, "The Cloak of Conscience," is at the entrance of the Stavovske Divadlo theater. In Prague, Anna received several important awards. These include the Masaryk, Dali, and Kafka Awards.

Mythical Sculptures

Anna was also interested in Greek and Roman myths. This led her to create sculptures like "Europe" and "Olympic Spirit." All of her mythical sculptures were shown at the National Archeological Museum in Athens, Greece.

In 2009, China invited Anna to join the Chinese Academy of Sculpture. She was the first foreign sculptor to receive this honor. Her work is often seen as a message of peace and harmony. Her sculpture, "Carmen," will be a main piece at the new opera house in Guangzhou. Also, her "Sisyphus" sculpture is proudly displayed at the Museum of Modern Art in Guangzhou.

That same year, Anna's sculpture, "Olivier d'Or," was given to Nobel Peace Prize winner, Elie Wiesel. This gift was presented by Albert II, Prince of Monaco. Anna sculpted for over twenty years, creating many amazing works.

The Cloak of Conscience

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  The 15 ft High Cloak of Conscience

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  Cloak of Conscience weighs 45 tonnes

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  Visitors can walk inside.

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  The Cloak of Conscience close up

Anna Chromy's most famous artwork is the empty coat sculpture. It is known by several names, like The Cloak of Conscience, Piétà, or Commendatore. You can find versions of it in places like Salzburg Cathedral in Austria and the National Archaeological Museum of Athens in Greece.

Anna even turned The Cloak into a chapel. It is over four meters tall and carved from a huge 250-ton block of white marble. This amazing work was created in the Cave Michelangelo in Carrara, Italy.

In 2008, Anna gave a model of "The Cloak of Conscience" to Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican. This was to celebrate the start of the Conscience Institute. This group helps support the development of arts.

Olympic Sculptures

In 2012, at the London Olympic Games, Anna Chromy's sculpture Olympic Spirit was placed in the Olympic Village. This is where the athletes lived during the games. It was a gift from Lord Moynihan to honor the athletes. Many athletes took photos with it, and some even climbed on it!

Ulysses, another sculpture from her Olympic collection, was placed in the harbor of Monaco in 2011. Her sculpture Sisyphus is located at the University of Pisa in Italy.

Public Sculptures and Inspirations

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  Ulysses (2000)

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  Olympic Spirit (2004)

Anna Chromy found inspiration in many things. She loved music, especially opera, and classic dance. Ancient myths also played a big part in her art. Her paintings often show influences from other Central European artists.

Her use of colors, sometimes even on her sculptures, had a soft touch, similar to the artist Turner. She is known as a truly European artist.

Exhibitions of Anna's Work

Anna Chromy's art has been shown in many places around the world. Here are some of her exhibitions:

• Don Giovanni and the Sound of Bronze (2000) in Prague (Czech Republic)
• Il Canto di Orfeo (2004) Pietrasanta (Italy)
• Europe (2005) Place Vendôme, Paris (France)
• Mythos Revisited (2007), National Archeological Museum, Athens (Greece)
• Dream of the East (2009), Beijing (China)
• Myths of the Mediterranean (2011), St. Tropez (France)
• Spiritus Mundi (2012), Foshan (China)

Chromy Awards

Anna Chromy created the Chromy Awards after developing her "conscience art." The first awards were given in 2013. They honored people who worked hard to help humankind or the Earth. Some of the first nominees included famous people like Bill Gates and Desmond Tutu.

After finishing "The Cloak of Conscience," Anna painted a series of oils called Chromology in 2012. These paintings showed the feelings and meaning behind the Chromy Awards. This collection later grew and became known as Chromatology.

Earlier Paintings

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  'Ball in Venice', 1979

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  'Clown', 1979

Anna Chromy in China

Anna Chromy's art became popular in China starting in 1995. She was an honored guest at the Guangzhou Art Fair. Since then, her fame has grown in the region. In 2011, a director of an art gallery in Foshan said that her works were very popular with collectors in China.

She was invited to show her entire collection at the National Museum of China in Beijing. In June 2012, Anna was named an Honorary Fellow in the National Academy of Sculpture in Beijing. This happened when her "Olympic Spirit" sculpture was placed there.

See also

In Spanish: Anna Chromý para niños