Ismael Smith Marine
Ismael Smith Marine ( Barcelona , 1886 - White Plains , New York , 1972 ) was a sculptor , draftsman and printmaker Catalan, although Eugeni d'Ors , 4 July 1906 from its Glossary of Voice of Catalonia named him sculptor noucentista , was an artist and his personal productions ranging from decadence to outlining an expressionist. It is the main representative of the current expressionist sculpture that occurred in Catalonia in the first decade of the twentieth century, exhausted by the consolidation of the classical side of the twentieth century.
Biography
Training
Ismael Smith and Marino was born in Barcelona on July 16, 1886, son of Victorian Smith Vicens of Barcelona and Marine Monica Smith of Grace . He became an orphan at the age of 12, following the loss of Cuba and ruined father suddenly dies, the mother takes care of five children.
He first studied at the Academia Baixas of Barcelona 1898-1899 which begins with the drawing and from 1899 in Llotja School until 1904 , completing his training in the workshops of sculptors Rafael Atché , Pedro Carbonell , Agapito Vallmitjana and Jose Limon . He was also a pupil of Alexandre de Riquer who learned to make bookplates and engraving techniques.
In 1903 obtains a first medal at the Barcelona Athenaeum and the following year won a second medal with sculpture titled Storm [2] the competition of apprentices organized by the Official School of Fine Arts and Fine Arts held in Palau of Fine Arts in Barcelona .
Barcelona
In 1905 are reproduced in the magazine "Garba" sculptures An old with a candle in hand and Adam . [3] In 1906 participates with four casts in the exhibition of "The Modern Catalan Literature and Arts" held at the headquarters of the Regionalist League to Barcelona . The same year he held his public presentation at Sala Pares , in a joint exhibition with Peter Ynglada and July 4, Eugeni d'Ors from the Glossary to the Voice of Catalonia awards him the first artist noucentista appointment. His drawings are published in the journal Oro y Grana .
In 1907 obtained a second medal for drawings and caricatures for a third sculpture in plaster in abundance , in the now defunct V International Exhibition of Fine Arts and Artistic Industries in Barcelona . It also participates in the "Exhibition of self-portraits of Artistas Españoles" which presents a magnificent portrait Nano someone like this can be seen at the National Art Museum of Catalonia . Also in 1907, showing pictures and sculptures in the "Ribas Hall" of Barcelona in a joint exhibition with Laura Albéniz .
The 1908 comes with the architect Josep Pijoan project for the Monument to Manuel Milà i Fontanals . [4] to be erected in Vilafranca is finally rejected by the committee. Despite having laid the first stone and bronze bust happened in Milan and Fontanals, Pijoan and Smith can not finish the work. Henry Montserdà relative Josep Puig will be the designer of the monument, Manel Fuxa made the bust of the writer and Eusebio Arnau performed the rest of the figures. He made a funerary sculpture for the family vault at Novell fields and cemetery in Lloret de Mar of Symbolist aesthetic, in honor of his teacher Jose Limon.
His drawings are published in The Graphic , La Campana de Gràcia , Mercurio , Papitu and Cu-Cut! , Or y Grana and also contributed to the Catalan Illustration , Art Young and Picarol .
1909 illustrated the covers of books, the latest miracle of Rafael Marquina Brother of Eduardo Marquina - First book Women Eduard Girbal Jaume and trim of Josep Tharrats .
Linked from the beginning noucentista movement, founding member of the association Arts and Artists and participated in the "Exhibition of Painting and Sculpture I" held at Faianç Catalan in 1910 and months later participates in "the Exhibition of Portraits and Drawings Antiguos y Modernos ".
Frequented the colony holidaymakers Cerdanyola del Vallès with Enric Granados , brothers Roviralta Monsignor Garriga, who illustrates for his book "Tales white", the family of the painter Josep sX , Manuel Rocamora Vidal and his sister helping them in the recovery of historical clothing that give rise to the Museum costume Collection Rocamora Barcelona. Draw programs and party forms the Grand Casino in the village.
In the hands of Joseph Togores mounted and in 1910 held its first presentation abroad as part of the Exposition Internationale de Bruxelles where he won a third medal with polychrome plaster sculpture of a dancer Spanish entitled Incarnation . At the end of the year it is known that the City Council has granted a pension for Paris.
In 1911 he exhibited with great success Faianç Catalan with their friends Néstor Fernández de la Torre , Laura Albéniz and Mariano Andreu , presented by Eugeni d'Ors is praised by all the press. It publishes the Almanac Noucentistes , where he collaborates with two illustrations. It also participates in the second exhibition of the Salon of Arts and the Artists .
The VI International Art Exhibition in Barcelona 1911 presents etchings and two sculptures. Wins a third medal in sculpture portrait of Pedro Turull . The monument to Pere Turull founder of Caixa Sabadell made according to the project of Jeronimo Martorell, in the courtyard of the headquarters building of the first such case in Sabadell Smith was charged, but finally he just made the bust and other allegorical figures are sculpted by Manuel Leal and Fuxà
In 1916, taking advantage of his stay in Barcelona after a few years in Paris, he made the two great reliefs for the facade of the main building of the factory Uralita Roviralta property developer and art patron Josep Maria Roviralta and graphic design company.
Paris
In 1910 he was pensioned in Paris by the City Council . In April 1911 the Journal of Barcelona announces that the artist has gone to Paris where he studied at the Ecole Nationale des Arts Décoratifs until 1914 , when it broke the First World War . In Paris coincides with the artists Manolo Hugué , Mariano Andreu , Manuel Cano de Castro and José de sX . He knew about the world of art, worked with Raoul Dufy and drawings published in prestigious fashion magazine "Journal des dames" and "Revue December feminine elegance."
1912 from Paris collaborated in the magazine Picarol and participates in the Salon d'Automne with four sculptures in plaster. In 1913 he moved to Neuilly, the Villa Méquillet, 5. Continue its participation in all events Parisians, three paintings in the Salon des Indépendants , four recorded the Salon de la Société des Beaux-Arts and sculpture and engraving the Salon d'Automne . In 1914 participates in the Salon of the Académie Française Société with a sculpture at the Salon des Indépendants with three etchings and the Salon de la Société des Beaux-Arts with a sculpture and engraving.
At the Exhibition of Modern Spanish Art , held in Brighton in 1914 and then in London, is one of the most outstanding artists participating the British press for their striking prints. Between 1915 and 1918 with the outbreak of World War returns to Barcelona with his mother and sister. During these years spend long periods in Seville and Madrid. This period is drawing teacher at the School of the Dominicans Horta (Barcelona). In Madrid makes a bust Francesc Cambo destroyed by shrapnel.
New York
In 1919 he moved to New York with his mother and his sister Anna Maria. The three brothers of the artist had moved the family business to Paris and London to New York a while ago. His whole family moved to 173 Riverside Drive, over the Hudson River.
His career is recorded and then focused on the exlibrisme several exhibitions in the US city between 1919 and 1925, which emphasizes the individual exhibition of prints that made the New York Public Library 's 1921; Also exhibited in The Society of Independent Artists (until 1924) in The Brooklyn Society of Etchers and the National Academy of Desing . In these years, but his artistic activity decreased. Practice sculpture will be rejected and only occasionally a piece for the church of Santa Teresa Liseux of Washington .
In a parenthesis in Europe between 1926 and 1930, he was in Paris , Madrid and Barcelona , where he participated in the International Exposition of 1929 , which presents a sculpture representing the Sacred Heart, which will eventually be rejected and be left to port Barcelona.
In 1931, the United States again his artistic activity diminished remarkably, to dedicate all his efforts to study a cancer therapy, an obsession he held for the rest of his life.
In 1941 he moved to live in a property in Irvington , just outside New York , and during those years dedicated to making art collection. Makes a guide for Catalan artists such as Antoni Tàpies and Luis Marsans on his visits to the city of skyscrapers.
During the 50 years dedicated to pseudo-scientific studies to find a cure for cancer . Completely forgotten as an artist, in 1962, after a series of allegations that he walked naked through the park owned in Irvington as a practice of his own theories naturopathic therapy, was admitted against his will to Bloomingdale's psychiatric hospital in White Plains where you did not leave
At the beginning of the workshop was admitted went to art therapy and returned to sculpture. It carried out a series of masks that link directly touching the work more expressionistic the first two decades of the twentieth century, and that would be his artistic testament.
Work
Ismael Smith was a multidisciplinary artist who devoted himself to painting , the sculpture , the drawing , the illustration , the interior design , the posters , the graphic design , the jewelry , the ceramics and has been read by historiography in a closed too. Understood as noucentista, as defined Eugeni d'Ors soon many of his works go beyond. This is because Smith was not placed under any style or any movement, but tried and tested.
We see this clearly in their relationship with ceramics. Ismael Smith Smith worked regularly with the ceramist Antoni Serra Fiter in making pottery and trinkets for the construction, many of which were exhibited at the International Art Exhibition of Barcelona of the year 1907. in collaboration with Smith designs the craft of ceramics Serra observe the quality of the pieces and their different condition estètica.Al side characters that can be interpreted as models noucentistes find a series of figures appeal rather to the expressionism.
As a sculptor , he made numerous portraits of personalities Catalan as Enric Prat de la Riba -Conserves the History Museum of Catalonia - [5] Francesc Cambo -destruït during the Spanish Civil War of Enric Granados , Junoy , Alfons Maseras , among others. He made designs modes and numerous bookplates .
Ismael Smith, recorder
Ismael Smith was an outstanding writer . At the time of youth learned the technique of engraving and the bookplates of Alexandre de Riquer. He worked mainly the etching with a total of eighty-two plates; The lithograph , lithographic sheets with sixteen; the woodcut with several printing plates and wooden counted fifty of bookplates . Its theme revolves around allegorical subjects, religious and customary "Spanish" in a language that moves between modernism Central European and decadence . His first recorded dates from 1907 and is titled Death and the Maiden and the sample was exposed to the room Ribas de Barcelona with Laura Albéniz , followed by others such as First vanity 1909 erotic and ironic character.
In Paris he worked intensely to the engraving and began to exhibit his works in the elegant atmosphere of the Belle Époque .
In 1917 in Barcelona illustrates the story Cabeza de pato 's Editorial Muntañola published in 1920 with text by Alejandro Plana and design and illustrations for advertising fashion house Enrique Borras and Casino Cerdanyola del Valles.
Topics Spanish "Manoli" and "toreros" is very present in his production under the influence of Goya tradition and folklore Hispanic treated disturbing, ironic, festive and conflict will be much appreciated internationally. The music of his friend the composer Enric Granados and dancer Tortola Valencia will be a source of inspiration in this authentic slope away from the twentieth century .
His prints Spaniards have a strong impact on England following his involvement in the Spanish modern art exhibition held in Brighton and London where he presents etchings by charging bulls bullfighters. In 1922 began the procedures for the donation of a collection of prints and drawing engraving department of the British Museum of London which will take effect in 1924.
A New York will be devoted exclusively to engraving and the bookplate , participating in various exhibitions devoted to this topic. The first was that of the "Print Club" in 1919, was followed by others such as organized by The Society of Brooklyn Etchers which was a partner in the Brooklyn Museum in 1922. The Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts the counts among its regular exhibitors recorded between 1921 and 1926 and also concurs Samalgundi Club of New York and there has recorded 1924, 1925 and 1926. [6]
He eventually achieved international fame with his prints and bookplates an iconography very personal. His work as a designer in New York bookplate will be very fruitful and will create more than fifty pieces personalities of the society of the time. Arrays of his etchings are conserved among the Graphic Unit of the Library of Catalonia and Chalcography Nacional de Madrid.
In 1955 makes a donation of sculptures, paintings, drawings and prints to the then Museum of Modern Art in Barcelona. The Art Museum of Cerdanyola del Valles received a donation of 250 drawings by Smith months before his inauguration.
The Abelló Museum , contains a large collection of Smith's work, such as drawing Supplication
In 2011 it became an exhibition of his prints at the Palau Maricel of Sitges. [7] The 2016 will be a solo exhibition at the National Art Museum of Catalonia .
