Painter: Benito Quinquela Martín - Part 1 - In English y Español

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Chimeneas en La Boca - Fireplaces in La Boca

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Benito Quinquela Martín (clic here Wiki) (March 10(?), 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 portuary La Boca.

Early years

His birthday could not be determined precisely as he was abandoned on March 21, 1890 at an orphanage with a note that stated "This kid has been baptized, and his name is Benito Juan Martín". From his physical appearance, the nuns who found him deduced that he should be around ten days old; thus March 10 is regarded as his birthday.

Adopted by Manuel and Justina Molina de Chinchella when he was six 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 1920.

International Exhibitions

By 1910 he had started appearing small art exhibitions, mainly in and around La Boca. 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 Museum of Luxembourg acquired Tormenta en el astillero.

On 1927 he left for New York, 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.

Back in his homeland, he became a philanthropist and donated several works to La Boca and the city of Buenos Aires.

He died in Buenos Aires on January 28, 1977, and was buried in the La Chacarita Cemetery.

Famous works

Among his most famous works are: Tormenta en el Astillero (Musée du Luxembourg, Paris), Puente de la Boca (St. James's Palace, London) and Crepúsculo en el astillero (Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Buenos Aires).

Jornada de Trabajo - Labor Day

Benito Quinquela Martín (clic aquí Wiki) (1 de marzo de 1890; 28 de enero de 1977) fue un pintor argentino nacido en La Boca, Buenos Aires. Quinquela Martín es considerado el pintor de puertos -por excelencia- y es uno de los más populares pintores argentinos. Sus pinturas portuarias muestran la actividad, vigor y rudeza de la vida diaria en la portuaria La Boca.

Primeros años

No ha podido determinarse con certeza su nacimiento porque fue abandonado el 20 de marzo de 1890 en la Casa de los Expósitos, un orfanato con una nota que decía "Este niño ha sido bautizado con el nombre de Benito Juan Martín". Por su forma física, se dedujo que habría nacido 20 días antes; por lo que se fijó aquella fecha para su cumpleaños.

Con seis años, fue adoptado por Manuel Chinchella y Justina Molina, y él adoptó el apellido de su padrastro (que luego sería fonetizado como "suena" en el italiano, al castellano como Quinquela). “Mi vieja me conquistó en seguida –dicta Quinquela en su autobiografía recogida por Andrés Muñoz y publicada en 1963– y desde el primer momento encontró en mí un hijo y un aliado”. Justina Molina tenía sangre india, venía de Gualeguaychú y era analfabeta, lo cual no le impedía atender la carbonería en el barrio porteño de la Boca con perfecta eficiencia: se acordaba mejor que nadie del estado de cuentas de cada cliente. Manuel Chinchella era un forzudo italiano que redondeaba los ingresos de la carbonería con trabajos en el puerto, donde cargaba de a dos las bolsas de 60 kg. Su trato con el niño era un poco distante, de ruda ternura, pero cada tanto una caricia cuando el padre llegaba del puerto le tiznaba la cara al "purrete" (niño).

A los 14 iba a una escuela nocturna de pintura en La Boca mientras de día trabajaba en la carbonería familiar. Con 17 años entra al Conservatorio Pezzini Stiatessi, donde estudia hasta 1920.

Muere a los 87 años, el 28 de enero de 1977.

Fue el inventor de la calle "Caminito", una vía de ferrocarril abandonada que él quiso transformar en museo al aire libre para favorecer a los artistas y artesanos del barrio en los años de la década de 1950, y que con el tiempo, su éxito fue tal que ahora pareciera que siempre estuvo ahí

Trabajos famosos

Quizás sus más famosos trabajos sean: Tormenta en el Astillero (Museo de Luxemburgo, París), Puente de la Boca (Palacio St. James, Londres), Crepúsculo en el astillero (Museo de Bellas Artes, Buenos Aires).