Subject: Foreign Language: Spanish

Artists of the World Series (Spanish)

Antonio Saura: Sauragrams

This is an eclectic and often graphic portrait of Antonio Saura (1930 - 1998), one of Spain's boldest surrealistic painters. Self taught, he became part of the avant-garde El Paso group in Madrid and his work evolved towards a dramatic and forceful expressionism filled with piercing irony. He moved to Paris where he rapidly found international recognition with his well-known series entitled Crucifixions, Crowds and Others. Produced by Jorge Calvo and J.L. Romeo.This is an eclectic and often graphic portrait of Antonio Saura (1930 - 1998), who was one of Spain's boldest surrealistic painters. He began painting and writing in 1947 while suffering from tuberculosis, a condition that confined him for five years. Self taught, he became part of the avant-garde El Paso group in Madrid and his work evolved towards a dramatic and forceful expressionism filled with piercing irony. He moved to Paris and collaborated with a number of Surrealists; then he began to develop his own radically abstract style, focusing on the human form, especially the female body. He rapidly found international recognition with his well-known series entitled Ladies, Nudes, Self-Portraits, Shrouds and Crucifixions, painting on both canvas and paper. In 1959 he created a prolific body of work, illustrating in numerous books such as Don Quijote, 1984 and Pinocchio; a year later he began to make sculpture, creating works made of various welded metal elements; then in the 1970s he created stage designs for the theatre, ballet and opera. His credits include: the Europen Biennial Exhibition of Engravings Prize, the title of Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres, and the Medal of Merit from BellasArtes. 2010DR/CL CA 30 min. Also available in English.