Hemingway’s Favorite Artist
Joan Miró's Journey from Business School to Surrealist Icon
Joan Miró and I were both born on April 20 and attended business school, but beyond that, our life paths couldn't be more different.
Defying His Parents to Pursue Art
Joan Miró was born on April 20, 1893, in Barcelona, Spain. He was raised in a family of craftsmen, and creativity was part of his upbringing. His father was a watchmaker and goldsmith, while his mother came from a family of cabinetmakers.
A sickly child, Miró spent much of his time alone, developing a rich inner world of imagination.
Despite his parents' hopes for a stable career through business school, Miró's passion for art was undeniable. At 14, he enrolled in the La Lonja School of Fine Arts in Barcelona, defying his parents' wishes.
This act of rebellion set the stage for a lifetime of artistic innovation and resistance with his Catalan heritage significantly shaping his art.
Embracing the Abstract and Surreal
Joan Miró had a rare ability to channel the subconscious mind. While many artists pursued realism, Miró embraced the abstract and surreal. His work is full of symbols, vibrant colors, organic forms, and playful expressiveness, making him a leading figure in the Surrealist movement alongside Salvador Dalí and André Breton.
“In a painting, you should be able to discover new things each time you look at it. For me, a painting must give off sparks. It must dazzle like the beauty of a woman or a poem.” - Joan Miró
Miró’s art, often described as childlike, conceals sophisticated simplicity. Bold colors, organic shapes, and fantastical creatures invite viewers to see the world from a new perspective.
"I try to apply colors like words that shape poems, like notes that shape music." - Joan Miró
Inspired by Sigmund Freud's theories, Miró and his contemporaries experimented with suspending conscious control to release the flow of unconscious thought, often risking madness to capture their visions. Miró’s famous ‘dream paintings’ were the result of hunger-induced hallucinations.
Transforming Isolation into Inspiration
Miró’s early works, influenced by Fauvism and Cubism, failed to gain recognition. In 1919, he suffered a severe nervous breakdown followed by typhoid fever, forcing him to retreat to his family’s farm in Mont-roig, a town in Catalonia. This isolation period proved transformative.
Surrounded by nature, Miró found solace and inspiration, developing a unique style influenced by Catalan landscapes and folk art.
“When I stand in front of a canvas, I never know what I’m going to do – and nobody is more surprised than I at what comes out.” - Joan Miró
Finding Success in the Vibrant Parisian Art Scene
Miró's big break came in the early 1920s when he moved to Paris. There, he mingled with pioneering artists and writers, including Pablo Picasso, Max Ernst, Ezra Pound, and Ernest Hemingway. This vibrant community pushed him to further creative boundaries.
In 1924, Miró joined the Surrealist group led by André Breton and gained international acclaim. His painting "The Tilled Field" (1923-1924) marked a turning point, blending reality and fantasy in captivating ways.
Notable Works and Hemingway's Admiration
Several pieces in Joan Miró's vast body of work stand out for their innovation and impact.
"The Harlequin's Carnival" (1924-1925) is a whimsical exploration of the subconscious, filled with playful characters and abstract shapes. It captures Miró's talent for transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary.
"The Farm" (1921-1922), a detailed depiction of his family’s farm, showcases Miró's deep connection to his roots. Ernest Hemingway, who purchased the painting as a birthday gift for his wife, described it as a snapshot of everything you feel about Spain when you are there and when you cannot be.
“I would not trade it for any picture in the world, it has in it all that you feel about Spain when you are there and all that you feel when you are away and cannot go there. No one else has been able to paint those two opposing things.” - Ernest Hemingway
In 1974, at the age of 81, Miró created the World Trade Center Tapestry. It was one of the most expensive pieces of artwork destroyed in the 9/11 attack.
A Lasting Influence on Art
Joan Miró passed away on December 25, 1983, in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, at the age of 90.
His exploration of formlessness and abstraction influenced late 20th-century art, paving the way for artists like Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko. I’ve written about both of them previously.
During his life, Miró produced approximately 2,000 paintings, 500 sculptures, 400 ceramics, 5,000 drawings, and 1,000 lithographs. His prolific output was matched by the stability of his personal life.
Miró and his wife, Pilar Juncosa, were married for over 50 years. They met in childhood, married in 1929, and stayed together until his death in 1983.
“[She] is the ideal companion for me. Without her, I have no idea of anything or how to organize things. She is my guardian angel.” - Joan Miró
Really enjoyed this biography. Thank you so much!