Rogelio de Egusquiza facts for kids
Rogelio de Egusquiza y Barrena (born 1845 – died 1915) was a Spanish painter. He is well-known for being a good friend of the famous German composer Richard Wagner. Rogelio de Egusquiza helped people in Spain learn about Wagner's amazing music.
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Rogelio de Egusquiza's Early Life and Art
Rogelio de Egusquiza was born in El Astillero, Spain. His family was quite wealthy. He studied art in Madrid and later in Paris at the École des Beaux-Arts with a teacher named Léon Bonnat.
After traveling and showing his art in Spain, he moved back to Paris in 1868. He decided to live there. At first, he painted pictures about history. Later, he started painting everyday scenes and portraits of people. He used a style called Academic art. This style focused on traditional techniques and realistic details.
Studying Art in Rome
After another artist named Marià Fortuny passed away, Egusquiza moved to Rome. He was invited by two brothers, Raimundo and Ricardo, who were also painters. He worked in their art studio until 1875. He also took classes at the Spanish Academy in Rome.
Rogelio de Egusquiza and Richard Wagner
Egusquiza first heard Wagner's music in 1876, after he returned to Paris. Three years later, he traveled to Munich, Germany. He went there to hear a performance of Wagner's famous opera series, The Ring of the Nibelungen.
He loved the music so much that he went to Bayreuth, Germany. This is where Wagner had his own special opera house. Egusquiza met Wagner there and they became good friends.
Meeting Wagner and Painting His Music
Egusquiza and Wagner met several more times over the years. They met in Venice (1880), Berlin (1881), and Bayreuth (1882). In Bayreuth, Egusquiza was a special guest at the first-ever performance of Wagner's opera Parsifal.
After meeting Wagner, Egusquiza decided to focus his art on Wagner's music. He mostly painted portraits of the characters from Wagner's operas. He did not usually paint specific scenes from the operas.
While visiting Germany, he also painted portraits of other important people. These included the philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer and King Ludwig II of Bavaria. Egusquiza also wrote an article for a newsletter called Bayreuther Blätter. His article was about how to light a stage for performances.
Exhibitions and Recognition
Rogelio de Egusquiza showed his art in several important exhibitions. He participated in the Salons de la Rose + Croix in the 1890s. He also showed his prints from Parsifal at the Exposition Universelle (1900) in Paris. He won a silver medal for his work there.
Even though he lived in Paris, Egusquiza often visited Madrid, Spain. He was part of a group of Wagner fans who met at the Lhardy restaurant.
Helping the Wagnerian Association
In 1911, the "Asociación Wagneriana de Madrid" (Wagnerian Association of Madrid) was started. Egusquiza gave them copies of music from several operas. He also gave them one hundred etchings (a type of print) of his portrait of Wagner. These were sold to help raise money for the association. Later, he was made an honorary member of the group.
Later Life and Legacy
Egusquiza stayed in Paris until 1914. When World War I began, he had to return to Spain. He passed away in Madrid the next year.
From 2013 to 2014, an exhibition of Egusquiza's art was held at the Museo del Prado in Spain. This was to celebrate Wagner's 200th birthday. The exhibition was called "El Mal se desvanece" (Evil fades). It included his Wagnerian works and portraits of characters from classic stories.
See also
In Spanish: Rogelio de Egusquiza para niños
