Joan Miro

Spanish artist, considered the best of the surrealists, whose style was marked with zips and twinkles, and odd-looking human and animal creatures. His life fluctuated between Paris and his home in Catalonia, which inspired much of his work. After a trip to Holland in 1928, he began doing free styles on Dutch genre scenes. In 1966, he went to Japan, which he felt had as major of an effect on him as had his move to Paris. In his later years, he dabbled in commercial projects, such as the logo for the Spanish Tourist Board.

Born in Barcelona, Miro was the son of a watchmaker, and he studied at the Escola d’Art. Miro came from a family of artisans, the eldest child and only son of Miguel, a goldsmith and watchmaker; his mother was the daughter of a cabinetmaker. He was a poor student and a dreamer who was reverential of drawing classes. After his dad bought a farm, he left for his first three-month trip to Paris in March 1920. After moving to Paris, he began developing an art that was folkloric compared to the more cosmopolitan Picasso, one of Miro’s contemporaries. One of the few artists to not lead a traumatized life, Miro structured his career with order and determination. In 1928, he wrote to Picasso that he was looking for a wife, a studio and a dealer. In 1929, at age 36, he married Pilar Juncosa of Palma. They were together until her death 54 years later; they had one daughter.

His recreation pursuits included jogging (with which he was ahead of his time) and boxing. He sparred occasionally with Ernest Hemingway, a friend, who owned Miro’s famous "The Farm."

He died on 25 December 1983 at his home on the island of Majorca from heart and respiratory problems.