Hispanic Art Report

Roberto Matta

La Mela

Roberto Mattas Paintings

This masterpiece of artwork was painted on an oil canvas. He often expressed himself

through his paintings. He often showed his political views on different situations in his artwork.

Matta became well known for his usual expressions of cosmic Surrealist landscapes, and his

frequent, but still unusual paintings of space. It was obvious that Matta loved using imagery to

show his political expressions and his views of the Chilean economy.
 About Roberto Matta

Roberto Matta was born with the name Roberto Antonio Sebastian Matta Echaurren. He

was born in Santiago, Chile on the date November 11, 1912. He was a mixed person, because his

father originated from Chile, whereas his mother was born as a Spanish native. He had a good

childhood, and was raised very well. He was strictly raised as a Catholic and he lived as an upper

middle-class home and lifestyle.

Matta had a strong interest in art, literature, and even in many languages. He received a

Classical, Jesuit education, and enjoyed a comfortable childhood, even as Chile was going thru a

hard and rough economical time period. Between the years of 1929 through 1933, Matta studied

many things, such as architecture and even interior design at the Sacre Coeur Jesuit College.

Matta also went to the Universidad Catolica of Santiago. In his last year of school, he did a

project that Ultimately shaped his future.

Not long after this Project, he decided to leave behind his education and join the

Merchant Marines. After a while, Matta finally decided to settle down for a while, and the place

he chose was Paris, France. This big decision happened in 1935. He became an new apprentice in

modern architecture, at Le Corbusiers studio. He decided to work as an apprentice with Le

Corbusier for the next two years.

During these next two years, Matta finally established a very close friendship with many

other apprentices and members of the Latin American literary avant-garde. His close

relationships with Frederico Garcia Lorca, and Pablo Neruda, and Gabriela Mistral, provided

many opportunities, and they were encouraging, as well as influential to Matta. As an example, it

was through Lorca that Matta was introduced to Surrealist artist, Salvador Dali.
 Dali saw Mattas art, and encouraged him to show them to Andre Breton. As he sensed a

special, and unique characteristic about Matta, and he believed that this was tallent, and an

uncommon spirit. As a result of this, he decided to officially invite him to join the surrealist

group in 1937.
 Citations

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/362962051192171499/

www.theartstory.org/artist-matta-roberto.htm