| Joan
Miro (1893-1983)
Joan Miro was one of Spain's foremost artists.
He studied at Barcelona's Gali Art Academy while keeping abreast
of the Parisian art movements. His early work was influenced
by fauvism and cubism. In the 1920s the inspiration of surrealism
began to be seen in his paintings. The Spanish Civil War, during
which he was exiled to France, was the catalyst for the intense
work he exhibited at the 1937 World's Fair in Paris. He returned
to Spain in 1940 when France was invaded. One year later the
first retrospective of his work was held at the Museum of Modern
Art in New York. In 1947 Miro visited New York and worked at
Stanley William Hayter's transplanted Atelier 17, learning etching
techniques. He continued to experiment in this medium for many
years, using the newest materials and equipment to get the richest
textural and tonal results. Miro's calligraphy shows strong
Oriental affinities, and stars and birds are magical symbols
which appear throughout his work. In 1975 the Miro Museum was
opened in Barcelona.
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