Antonio Gattorno

Who is Antonio Gattorno?

Antonio Gattorno was a Cuban painter. Antonio Gattorno was a distinguished member of the first generation of "modern" Cuban painters. He studied at the Academy of San Alejandro in that city before winning a scholarship, in 1919, which allowed him to travel to Europe for further study. There he encountered Mannerism and social realism, which together with the work of Paul Gauguin would form the major influence on his work; during his sojourn he roomed with sculptor Juan José Sicre. After completing college he returned to Cuba in 1926, and the following year-a time noted for its importance to modern art in Cuba-exhibited his works such as Mujeres en el Río, a Deco representation of an idyllic tropical scene based on monumental female nudes. He became part of the "Vanguardia", along with Victor Manuel, Amelia Peláez, and Wifredo Lam. He became an instructor at his alma mater, and executed public murals around Cuba. Gattorno developed his mature style in the early 1930s, concentrating on the depiction of Cuban peasants and their environment.