Enrique Grau facts for kids

Enrique Grau (born December 18, 1920 – died April 1, 2004) was a famous artist from Colombia. He was best known for his paintings of Amerindian (Native American) and Afro-Colombian (African-Colombian) people. Grau was considered one of the most important Colombian artists of the 20th century, alongside Fernando Botero and Alejandro Obregón.

Where He Grew Up

Enrique Grau was born in Panama City, Panama. Like many children of Colombian parents at that time, he was raised in Cartagena, Colombia. His parents were Enrique Grau Velez and Carmen Araujo Jimenez.

Becoming an Artist

Grau was a self-taught artist, meaning he learned much on his own. He was inspired by other great Colombian artists like Ignacio Gomez Jaramillo, Santiago Martinez Delgado, and Pedro Nel Gómez.

He later studied art at the Art Students League in New York City, U.S. from 1941 to 1942. After that, he traveled to Italy. There, he learned special art techniques like etching (making designs on metal plates) and fresco (painting on wet plaster walls). After his travels, he moved back to Cartagena.

In 1957, Grau won a major award at the Salón de Artistas Colombianos, which helped launch his successful art career. His paintings often showed people of different backgrounds – white, black, and indigenous – along with everyday objects like masks, eggs, fruit, or cages. This unique style made him famous around the world. His art was shown in important places like the Guggenheim Museum in New York City and the Paris Museum of Modern Art.

His Lasting Gift

Enrique Grau gave a wonderful gift to the city of Cartagena. He donated 1,300 pieces of art, including some of his own works and pieces by other artists. These artworks were used to create the Museum of Modern Art in Cartagena.

Grau passed away in a hospital in Bogotá, Colombia, at the age of 83.

See also

In Spanish: Enrique Grau para niños