Benito Quinquela Martín
Encyclopedia
Benito Quinquela Martín (March 1?), 1890 – January 28, 1977) was an Argentine
painter
born in La Boca
, Buenos Aires
. Quinquela Martín is considered the port painter-par-excellence and one of the most popular Argentine painters. His paintings of port scenes show the activity, vigor and roughness of the daily life in the port of La Boca.
with a note that stated "This kid has been baptized, and his name is Benito Juan Martín". From his physical appearance, the nun
s who found him deduced that he should be around twenty days old; thus March 1 is regarded as his birthday.
Adopted by Manuel and Justina Molina de Chinchella when he was seven years old, he adopted his stepfather's surname (which would later be hispanized
as Quinquela).
At the age of 14 he attended a modest night school of drawing in La Boca
while working during day on the family's coal
-yard. When he became 17 years old he joined the Pezzini Stiatessi Conservatory, where he stayed until 1912.
. He obtained the second prize on the Salón Nacional (Spanish
, "National Exhibition") in 1920. After an exhibition at Mar del Plata
in the same year, he was sent as the Argentine representative to an exhibition in Rio de Janeiro
, Brazil
attended by local personalities including Brazilian president Epitacio Pessoa
.
By the 1920s Marcelo T. de Alvear
and his wife were very fond of Quinquela Martín's works, and this admiration led to a lasting friendship. In 1922, Quinquela Martín was assigned as chancellor
of the Argentine Madrid
Consulate in Spain
. On April, 1923 he exhibited at the Círculo de Bellas Artes
of Madrid
. Two of his works were acquired by the institution (Buque en reparación and Efecto de Sol), while another two were acquired by the Museum of Modern Art of Madrid.
In 1925 he set sail for France
because—in his own words—"My trip to France is owed to President
Alvear
, who liked my works and wanted them to be judged by Paris
". The Musée du Luxembourg
acquired Tormenta en el astillero.
On 1927 he left for New York City
, where he put part of his work on display at the Anderson Galleries. Accounts say two paintings were bought by "Mr. Havemeyer", who donated them to the Metropolitan Museum of New York. After this exhibition he made several others under sculptor
Georgette Blandi's tutelage. Before returning to Buenos Aires, he was invited to Havana
by Conde Ribero to exhibit there.
On 1929, on a trip to Italy
, he made an exhibition at the Palazzo delle Esposizioni
in Rome
. The Museum of Modern Art of Rome acquired several paintings which were chosen by Benito Mussolini
during the display. Quinquela Martín made his last trip in 1930, to London
, where he exhibited at the Burlington Gallery. Several British museums acquired his paintings, including the Museum of Arts of London, Museum of Birmingham, Sheffield, Swansea, Cardiff, New Zealand and St. James's Palace
.
and donated several works to La Boca
and the city of Buenos Aires. On March 15th, 1974, at the age of 84, he married his life-long secretary, Alejandrina Marta Cerruti. He died on January 28, 1977, in Buenos Aires, of heart complications, and was buried in the La Chacarita Cemetery
. He was buried in a coffin made for him the previous year, stating that "Que quien vivió rodeado de color no puede ser enterrado en una caja lisa", meaning "He who lived surrounded by colors cannot be buried in a flat box." On the cover of the coffin was a painting of the port of La Boca
. His wife, being the only heiress, inherited of all his belongings.
, Paris
), Puente de la Boca (St. James's Palace
, London
) and Crepúsculo en el astillero (Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes
, Buenos Aires).
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
painter
Argentine painting
Argentine painting refers to all the pictorial production done in the territory of Argentina throughout the centuries.-Pre-Columbian painting:...
born in La Boca
La Boca
La Boca is a neighborhood, or barrio of the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires. It retains a strong European flavour, with many of its early settlers being from the Italian city of Genoa. In fact the name has a strong assonance with the Genoese neighborhood of Boccadasse , and some people believe that...
, Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
. Quinquela Martín is considered the port painter-par-excellence and one of the most popular Argentine painters. His paintings of port scenes show the activity, vigor and roughness of the daily life in the port of La Boca.
Early years
His birthday could not be determined precisely as he was abandoned on March 20, 1890 at an orphanageOrphanage
An orphanage is a residential institution devoted to the care of orphans – children whose parents are deceased or otherwise unable or unwilling to care for them...
with a note that stated "This kid has been baptized, and his name is Benito Juan Martín". From his physical appearance, the nun
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
s who found him deduced that he should be around twenty days old; thus March 1 is regarded as his birthday.
Adopted by Manuel and Justina Molina de Chinchella when he was seven years old, he adopted his stepfather's surname (which would later be hispanized
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
as Quinquela).
At the age of 14 he attended a modest night school of drawing in La Boca
La Boca
La Boca is a neighborhood, or barrio of the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires. It retains a strong European flavour, with many of its early settlers being from the Italian city of Genoa. In fact the name has a strong assonance with the Genoese neighborhood of Boccadasse , and some people believe that...
while working during day on the family's coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
-yard. When he became 17 years old he joined the Pezzini Stiatessi Conservatory, where he stayed until 1912.
International Exhibitions
By 1910 he had started appearing small art exhibitions, mainly in and around La BocaLa Boca
La Boca is a neighborhood, or barrio of the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires. It retains a strong European flavour, with many of its early settlers being from the Italian city of Genoa. In fact the name has a strong assonance with the Genoese neighborhood of Boccadasse , and some people believe that...
. He obtained the second prize on the Salón Nacional (Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
, "National Exhibition") in 1920. After an exhibition at Mar del Plata
Mar del Plata
Mar del Plata is an Argentine city located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, south of Buenos Aires. Mar del Plata is the second largest city of Buenos Aires Province. The name "Mar del Plata" had apparently the sense of "sea of the Río de la Plata region" or "adjoining sea to the Río de la Plata"...
in the same year, he was sent as the Argentine representative to an exhibition in Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
attended by local personalities including Brazilian president Epitacio Pessoa
Epitácio Pessoa
Epitácio Lindolfo da Silva Pessoa was a Brazilian politician and jurist, and president of the republic between 1919 and 1922, when Rodrigues Alves could not take office due to illness after being elected in 1918...
.
By the 1920s Marcelo T. de Alvear
Marcelo Torcuato de Alvear
Máximo Marcelo Torcuato de Alvear Pacheco , better known as Marcelo T. de Alvear was an Argentine politician and President of Argentina from October 12, 1922 to October 12, 1928.-Biography:...
and his wife were very fond of Quinquela Martín's works, and this admiration led to a lasting friendship. In 1922, Quinquela Martín was assigned as chancellor
Chancellor
Chancellor is the title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the Cancellarii of Roman courts of justice—ushers who sat at the cancelli or lattice work screens of a basilica or law court, which separated the judge and counsel from the...
of the Argentine Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
Consulate in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. On April, 1923 he exhibited at the Círculo de Bellas Artes
Círculo de Bellas Artes
The Círculo de Bellas Artes is a building located in Madrid, Spain. It was declared Bien de Interés Cultural in 1981....
of Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
. Two of his works were acquired by the institution (Buque en reparación and Efecto de Sol), while another two were acquired by the Museum of Modern Art of Madrid.
In 1925 he set sail for France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
because—in his own words—"My trip to France is owed to President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
Alvear
Marcelo Torcuato de Alvear
Máximo Marcelo Torcuato de Alvear Pacheco , better known as Marcelo T. de Alvear was an Argentine politician and President of Argentina from October 12, 1922 to October 12, 1928.-Biography:...
, who liked my works and wanted them to be judged by Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
". The Musée du Luxembourg
Musée du Luxembourg
Musée du Luxembourg is a museum in Paris, France. It occupies the east wing of the Palais du Luxembourg, whose matching west wing originally housed Ruben's Marie de' Medici cycle. Since 2000 it has been run by the French Ministry of Culture and the Senate and is devoted to temporary exhibitions...
acquired Tormenta en el astillero.
On 1927 he left for New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, where he put part of his work on display at the Anderson Galleries. Accounts say two paintings were bought by "Mr. Havemeyer", who donated them to the Metropolitan Museum of New York. After this exhibition he made several others under sculptor
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
Georgette Blandi's tutelage. Before returning to Buenos Aires, he was invited to Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
by Conde Ribero to exhibit there.
On 1929, on a trip to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, he made an exhibition at the Palazzo delle Esposizioni
Palazzo delle Esposizioni
The Palazzo delle Esposizioni is a neoclassical exhibition hall, cultural center and museum on Via Nazionale in Rome.Designed by Pio Piacentini, it opened in 1883. It has housed several exhibitions The Palazzo delle Esposizioni is a neoclassical exhibition hall, cultural center and museum on Via...
in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. The Museum of Modern Art of Rome acquired several paintings which were chosen by Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
during the display. Quinquela Martín made his last trip in 1930, to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, where he exhibited at the Burlington Gallery. Several British museums acquired his paintings, including the Museum of Arts of London, Museum of Birmingham, Sheffield, Swansea, Cardiff, New Zealand and St. James's Palace
St. James's Palace
St. James's Palace is one of London's oldest palaces. It is situated in Pall Mall, just north of St. James's Park. Although no sovereign has resided there for almost two centuries, it has remained the official residence of the Sovereign and the most senior royal palace in the UK...
.
Late life and death
Back in his homeland, he became a philanthropistPhilanthropy
Philanthropy etymologically means "the love of humanity"—love in the sense of caring for, nourishing, developing, or enhancing; humanity in the sense of "what it is to be human," or "human potential." In modern practical terms, it is "private initiatives for public good, focusing on quality of...
and donated several works to La Boca
La Boca
La Boca is a neighborhood, or barrio of the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires. It retains a strong European flavour, with many of its early settlers being from the Italian city of Genoa. In fact the name has a strong assonance with the Genoese neighborhood of Boccadasse , and some people believe that...
and the city of Buenos Aires. On March 15th, 1974, at the age of 84, he married his life-long secretary, Alejandrina Marta Cerruti. He died on January 28, 1977, in Buenos Aires, of heart complications, and was buried in the La Chacarita Cemetery
La Chacarita Cemetery
Cementerio de la Chacarita in Buenos Aires, Argentina, is known as the National Cemetery and is the largest in Argentina.-Location:The cemetery is in the barrio or district of Chacarita, in the northern part of Buenos Aires...
. He was buried in a coffin made for him the previous year, stating that "Que quien vivió rodeado de color no puede ser enterrado en una caja lisa", meaning "He who lived surrounded by colors cannot be buried in a flat box." On the cover of the coffin was a painting of the port of La Boca
La Boca
La Boca is a neighborhood, or barrio of the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires. It retains a strong European flavour, with many of its early settlers being from the Italian city of Genoa. In fact the name has a strong assonance with the Genoese neighborhood of Boccadasse , and some people believe that...
. His wife, being the only heiress, inherited of all his belongings.
Famous works
Among his most famous works are: Tormenta en el Astillero (Musée du LuxembourgMusée du Luxembourg
Musée du Luxembourg is a museum in Paris, France. It occupies the east wing of the Palais du Luxembourg, whose matching west wing originally housed Ruben's Marie de' Medici cycle. Since 2000 it has been run by the French Ministry of Culture and the Senate and is devoted to temporary exhibitions...
, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
), Puente de la Boca (St. James's Palace
St. James's Palace
St. James's Palace is one of London's oldest palaces. It is situated in Pall Mall, just north of St. James's Park. Although no sovereign has resided there for almost two centuries, it has remained the official residence of the Sovereign and the most senior royal palace in the UK...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
) and Crepúsculo en el astillero (Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes
Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (Buenos Aires)
The National Museum of Fine Arts is an Argentine art museum in Buenos Aires, located in the Recoleta section of the city. The MNBA inaugurated a branch in Neuquén in 2004.-History:...
, Buenos Aires).