Artist Biography
Born in Spain, José Manuel Capuletti is known for his magic realist paintings. Capuletti’s artistic talents were noticed at a young age. At eleven, he began studying at a local art academy and held his first group exhibition in 1941 in his hometown of Valladolid, Spain. After moving to Madrid, Capuletti began working for several Spanish dance companies, including famed flamenco dancer José Greco. He designed costumes and sets for their performances and the position offered Capuletti the opportunity to travel across Europe. In 1951, Capuletti settled in Paris and exhibited his works at the Galerie André Weil. As he
Born in Spain, José Manuel Capuletti is known for his magic realist paintings. Capuletti’s artistic talents were noticed at a young age. At eleven, he began studying at a local art academy and held his first group exhibition in 1941 in his hometown of Valladolid, Spain. After moving to Madrid, Capuletti began working for several Spanish dance companies, including famed flamenco dancer José Greco. He designed costumes and sets for their performances and the position offered Capuletti the opportunity to travel across Europe. In 1951, Capuletti settled in Paris and exhibited his works at the Galerie André Weil. As he garnered more success, Capuletti began traveling to the United States and exhibiting at Hammer Galleries in New York City. The artist also continued designing costumes for several theatre companies, including the Théâtre des Champs Elysées in Paris and Harkness Ballet in New York. After years away, Capuletti returned to his home country of Spain where he continued exhibiting his work before dying unexpectedly on a trip to Germany. Throughout his career, Capuletti painted nude figures, Spanish dancers, and geometric cityscapes, combining fantastical elements of Surrealism with realistic settings. Today, his work is found in the collections of the National Gallery of Art and the Phillips Museum of Art as well as numerous private collections across Spain.
Born in Spain, José Manuel Capuletti is known for his magic realist paintings. Capuletti’s artistic talents were noticed at a young age. At eleven, he began studying at a local art academy and held his first group exhibition in 1941 in his hometown of Valladolid, Spain. After moving to Madrid, Capuletti began working for several Spanish dance companies, including famed flamenco dancer José Greco. He designed costumes and sets for their performances and the position offered Capuletti the opportunity to travel across Europe. In 1951, Capuletti settled in Paris and exhibited his works at the Galerie André Weil. As he garnered more success, Capuletti began traveling to the United States and exhibiting at Hammer Galleries in New York City. The artist also continued designing costumes for several theatre companies, including the Théâtre des Champs Elysées in Paris and Harkness Ballet in New York. After years away, Capuletti returned to his home country of Spain where he continued exhibiting his work before dying unexpectedly on a trip to Germany. Throughout his career, Capuletti painted nude figures, Spanish dancers, and geometric cityscapes, combining fantastical elements of Surrealism with realistic settings. Today, his work is found in the collections of the National Gallery of Art and the Phillips Museum of Art as well as numerous private collections across Spain.
