The directory «Artists»

Michelena Arturo
(1863—1898)

Arturo Michelena is one of Venezuela's most venerated artists. During his short life, he created more than 700 works, divided among sketches and paintings. In 1885, he left for Paris to enroll in the Académie Julian, where he was taught by Jean Paul Laurens. At the latter's recommendation, he sent a canvas to the 1887 Salon, which won him a Second Class Medal and a special mention hors concours. He won a gold medal at the 1889 Paris International Exhibition for his painting "Charlotte Corday". He has been described by some as an Academic artist, by others as "an impressive impressionist". He fell ill with tuberculosis and returned to Venezuela. He became a fashionable portrait artist and official painter and was much fêted. But his declining health barely allowed him to devote himself to his ambitious works, such as Miranda en La Carraca (1896) (Miranda lying in a cot), Berruecos (1895), El Descendimiento (1897) (The Descent), and La última cena (1897) (The Last Supper), some of which went unfinished. His remains were transferred to the Panteón Nacional on July 29, 1948

Venezuela, 1966, Miranda in prison (Arturo Michelena)

Venezuela, 1966, Charlotte Corday