Enrique Grau

XI. La Fuerza

Fountain Pen / Paper

35 x 26,5 cm

14 x 11 in

1962- 1963

Unique Work 

Enrique Grau (1920 - 1999) was a prominent Colombian painter and sculptor. His artistic journey began in Bogotá, where he completed his early studies. His talent and dedication were recognized when he received a scholarship to study at the Art Students' League of New York between 1940 and 1943. This pivotal period refined his technique and set the stage for his future as a muralist, painter, and draftsman.

Between 1955 and 1956, he resided in Florence, where his work was influenced by Cubism, becoming geometric and close to abstraction. He taught at the School of Fine Arts at the National University and the University of the Andes and served as Head of the Scenography Department of National Television in 1954. He received several awards, including first place in painting at the X Colombian Artists Salon in 1957.

From 1959 onwards, Grau's work took a realist turn, focusing on the human figure and its environment. His style became more naturalistic, with pronounced baroque decoration. His international fame grew with exhibitions at prestigious institutions such as the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York and the Musée National d'Art Moderne in Paris, solidifying his status as a globally recognized artist.

He donated 1,300 of his works to Cartagena, where a museum in his honor was opened in 2004. Grau passed away on March 10, 1999, in Bogotá after a short illness.