Pablo Curatella Manes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pablo Curatella Manes
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| Born | December 14, 1891 La Plata, Argentina
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| Died | November 14, 1962 (aged 70) |
| Known for | Sculpture, engraving |
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| Spouse(s) |
Germaine Derbecqre
(m. 1922) |
Pablo Curatella Manes (born December 14, 1891 – died November 14, 1962) was a very talented sculptor from Argentina. He created many amazing artworks throughout his life.
Contents
Early Life and Artistic Beginnings
Pablo Curatella Manes was born in La Plata, Argentina, in 1891. His mother was from Greece, and his father was from Italy. As a child, Pablo loved visiting the new La Plata Fine Arts Museum. This is where he first became interested in sculpture.
In 1905, when he was 14, Pablo started working as a typographer in a printing shop. But an accident a few months later meant he couldn't continue that job. So, he went back to his childhood interest. He learned the basics of sculpture from Arturo Dresco, who had an art studio nearby.
Learning and Traveling as a Young Artist
Pablo and his family moved to Buenos Aires. In 1907, he joined the National Fine Arts School. He was a bit rebellious and was soon asked to leave. However, in 1908, he got to work as an apprentice with a famous sculptor named Lucio Correa Morales. Together, they created many sculptures for public parks.
After some elections in 1910, Pablo made a special gold medal for the new Vice President, Victorino de la Plaza. The Vice President was so impressed that he helped Pablo get a scholarship. This scholarship allowed Pablo to travel to Florence and Rome in Italy. He explored many museums and cathedrals across Italy and other parts of western Europe.
When he returned to Argentina in 1912, the director of the National Fine Arts School, Ernesto de la Cárcova, was not happy. He thought Pablo had not followed the scholarship rules. But when Pablo showed him all the amazing artworks he had created during his travels, the director changed his mind.
Developing His Style in Paris
After his first art show in Buenos Aires in 1912, Pablo went back to Europe. He settled in Montparnasse, a famous art area in Paris, France. There, he studied with well-known artists like Aristide Maillol and Emile-Antoine Bourdelle. But he had to return home when World War I started.
In 1916, back in his hometown of La Plata, he opened his own art gallery called Salón de Otoño (Autumn Salon). He briefly returned to Paris in 1917 to work with Maillol again, and also with Maurice Denis and Paul Sérusier. In 1920, he received another scholarship and moved back to Paris for good.
In Paris, Pablo studied with artists like Henri Laurens, Juan Gris, Constantin Brâncuși, and Le Corbusier. This was a very important time for him. He started exploring Cubism, an art style that uses geometric shapes. His sculptures became more modern and experimental. He also opened his first art studio in Paris. It was here that he developed a unique habit: he would create and sometimes destroy sculptures all in the same day!
Art and Diplomacy
In 1922, Pablo married Germaine Derbecqre, a French painter. In 1926, he started working for the Argentine Embassy in Paris.
He returned to Argentina in 1929 and showed a sculpture called Las Tres Gracias (The Three Graces). This artwork showed a new direction in his art, moving towards abstract styles. Abstract art uses shapes, colors, and forms that don't look like real objects.
In 1937, Pablo was asked to create large wall sculptures for the Argentine building at the 1937 Paris Exhibition. He went back to France and opened a new studio in Paris. His huge sculptures, Tierra Argentina (Argentina) and Los Dos Hemisferios (The Two Hemispheres), were very impressive. He was even chosen to be a judge for the sculpture part of the exhibition. After the event, he received a special honor called the Légion d'honneur.
In 1939, he continued his diplomatic work at the embassy. During World War II in 1940, he helped Argentine people return home from France. After the war, he helped reopen the Argentine Embassy and also helped rebuild the home in France where General José de San Martín, an Argentine hero, had died.
Later Years and Legacy
Pablo continued to create sculptures while working as a diplomat. In 1946, he helped restart the Salon des Indépendants, an art exhibition that had been stopped by the government during the war. He was active in this art group until 1949, when he was transferred to the Argentine Embassy in Athens, Greece.
Before leaving, he gave 31 of his artworks to the Argentine government. He hoped they would be used to start a museum of modern art. These artworks were instead added to the National Museum of Fine Arts in Buenos Aires.
Pablo also helped with Unesco art festivals and was part of the planning committee for Expo 58, a big world fair. He was asked by architect Mario Roberto Álvarez to create two sculptures, El Drama and La Comedia, for the San Martín Theatre in Buenos Aires, which opened in 1960.
In 1958, he returned to diplomatic work at the Argentine Embassy in Brussels, Belgium. He oversaw the Argentine display at Expo 58 and received another honor, the Order of Leopold. In 1961, he was invited to be a commissioner for the Paris Biennale, another important art event. He reopened his Paris studio.
His sculptures El Guitarrista (The Guitarist) and Torso Femenino (Female Torso) were bought by the Modern Art Museum of the City of Paris. Sadly, a sudden illness forced Pablo to return to Buenos Aires, where he passed away in 1962 at the age of 70.
Pablo lived to see his dream of a modern art museum come true. The Buenos Aires Museum of Modern Art opened in 1956. Many of Pablo Curatella Manes's sculptures are now part of its collection, inspiring new generations of artists and art lovers.
See also
In Spanish: Pablo Curatella Manes para niños
