JOAN MIRO

1893 - 1983 Born in 1893 son of a jewelry maker, Miro quickly revealed his love of painting, to the point where his inability to fit into the world of business caused him to become very ill and to leave for Montriog del Camp (Tarragona). In 1920, he decided to settle in the French capital, where het met Picasso, Maruice Raynal, Reverdy, Trisan Tzara and Max Jacob. Every summer, however, he returned to Montroig, his constant source of inspiration. Around 1923, after having painted La Masia (1921-1922), which was the culmination of his period of detailed realism, he changed the way he painted, turning to surrealism and beginning, as of 1924, a strong friendship with Andre Breton, Louis Aragon and Paul Eluard. In 1930, he began to enjoy international recognition, which had started with the success of his 1925 exhibition in Paris. In 1947, he spent eight months in the United States. This was an important milestone in that it meant a definitive turn towards large-format work. He would later paint, among others, the mural at Harvard University (1951). Joan Miro´s great creativity led him to work in and investigate fields of such diversity as etchings, ceramics-always at the side of Llorens Artigas-sculpture and tapestry. Lastly, mention should be made of the creation (1971) and opening (1975) of the Joan Miro Foundation Center for the Study of Contemporary Art. He died in 1983