Pedro Lira facts for kids
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Pedro Lira (born May 17, 1845, died April 20, 1912) was a famous Chilean painter. He was also an art critic, meaning he wrote about and judged art. Pedro Lira helped create the Chilean National Museum of Fine Arts by organizing many art shows. He is most famous for his unique paintings of women.
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Early Life and Art Training
Pedro Lira was born in Santiago, the capital of Chile. His family was very wealthy. His father, José Santos Lira Calvo, was an important judge. Pedro went to a school called the Instituto Nacional General José Miguel Carrera.
Pedro was interested in art from a young age. He joined the "Academia de Pintura" (Painting Academy). This academy was led by Alejandro Ciccarelli, a well-known painter from Italy.
In 1862, Pedro also started working in the art studio of Antonio Smith. At the same time, he studied law at the University of Chile. He finished his law degree in 1867. However, he decided to become a painter instead of a lawyer.
Artistic Success and European Studies
In 1872, Pedro Lira won a special medal. This was at an art competition held to celebrate the opening of the Mercado Central de Santiago. This success encouraged him to continue his art career.
Because of his talent, he received money to study art in Europe. He traveled to Paris, France, with his wife. His friend, Alberto Orrego Luco, also went with them. In Paris, Pedro Lira saw many different art styles. He chose Jules-Élie Delaunay to be his art teacher.
Pedro Lira lived in France from 1873 to 1884. He was inspired by the painter Eugène Delacroix. Pedro even copied many of Delacroix's paintings to learn from them. Later, Pedro received an "honorable mention" at the famous Paris Salon. This was a big art show where it was hard for artists from Latin America to get noticed.
Even with his success in Paris, Pedro decided to return to Chile. He felt it was the right time to help art grow in his home country. He wanted to create an art scene in Chile that was as exciting as the one in Paris.
Promoting Art in Chile
When Pedro Lira returned to Chile, he quickly got to work. He organized the first art show that featured only Chilean painters.
He also worked with a sculptor named José Miguel Blanco. Together, they started an organization called "Unión Artística" (Artistic Union). This group worked to hold more art exhibitions. Their main goal was to create a national art museum. This museum became the Chilean National Museum of Fine Arts. It was first located in the National Congress Building.
Pedro Lira also helped create a "Salon" in Chile, similar to the famous one in Paris. He also helped set up a museum in the Quinta Normal park. Art shows were held there until 1910.
Teaching and Writing
In 1893, Pedro Lira was named the Director of the Academia de Pintura. He also taught as a Professor there. He helped many young artists who showed promise. Some of his most famous students include Pablo Burchard, Pedro Reszka Moreau, and Celia Castro. Celia Castro was the first Chilean woman to become a well-known artist.
Pedro Lira also wrote Chile's first "Biographical Dictionary of Painters." This book contained information about many Chilean artists. He also translated a book called Philosophy of Art by Hippolyte Taine. Some of Pedro Lira's historical paintings have even been used on Chilean money.
Selected paintings
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On the Balcony
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Woman of the People
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Woman with Pins
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Gypsy Woman
Images for kids
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The Love Letter
See also
In Spanish: Pedro Lira para niños
