Pepo (cartoonist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pepo (cartoonist) |
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Self-caricature by Pepo
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| Born | René Rodolfo Ríos Boettiger 15 December 1911 Concepción, Chile |
| Died | 14 July 2000 (aged 88) Santiago, Chile |
| Area(s) | Writer, Artist |
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Notable works
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Condorito Viborita CanCan Pobre Diablo Pingüino |
| Children | 2 |
René Ríos Boettiger, born in Concepción, Chile on December 15, 1911, and passing away on July 14, 2000, was a famous Chilean cartoonist. He was widely known by his nickname, Pepo. Pepo is most celebrated for creating the much-loved comic character Condorito. Many people consider him the most important Chilean humorist of the 20th century.
Contents
Early Life and Artistic Journey
Pepo's parents were Amanda Boettiger Krause and Dr. René Ríos Guzmán. He drew his first cartoon when he was just seven years old. It was published in a newspaper called El Sur in Concepción. His father encouraged him to keep drawing. By the time he was ten, Pepo had his very first art show. It was held at a place called Palet confectionery in his city.
Pepo began studying medicine at the Universidad de Concepción. However, he decided to leave his studies in the early 1930s. He wanted to spend all his time creating cartoons instead.
Moving to Santiago and New Characters
In 1932, Pepo moved to Santiago. There, he started working as a cartoonist for a funny magazine called Topaze. He began using the nickname "Pepo," which came from "pepón," meaning "little barrel." This was his childhood nickname.
For the magazine, he created a comic strip called Don Gabito. This strip featured a funny drawing of the Chilean president at the time, Gabriel González Videla. He also drew another president, Pedro Aguirre Cerda, as a character named Don Pedrito.
The Birth of Condorito
In 1949, Pepo created his most famous character, Condorito. He got the idea for Condorito from the condor bird. The condor is a very important symbol in Chile and is even on the country's coat of arms.
For over sixty years, Pepo drew cartoons for many different publications. Some of these included El Pingüino, Ganso, Pobre Diablo, and Can Can. He also worked on other types of illustrations. Pepo passed away from cancer in 2000, at the age of 88.
Pepo's Legacy
Pepo loved the sea very much. He often drew while looking at the ocean in El Quisco, a town on Chile's Central Coast. Today, a statue of Condorito stands in that very spot.
In 2000, a sculpture of Condorito was placed in the Chilean House of Culture in San Miguel. This was done to remember Pepo and his amazing work.
See also
In Spanish: Pepo para niños
