Joan Miró

(1893-1983), Spain.

Miró, Joan (b. April 20, 1893, Barcelona--d. Dec. 25, l983, Palma, Majorca, Spain), catalan artist, one of the foremost exponents of abstract art and Surrealist fantasy. The influence of is apparent in his "dream pictures" and "imaginary landscapes" of the late 1920s. His mature style evolved from the tension between this fanciful, poetic impulse and his vision of the harshness of modern life. He worked extensively in lithography and produced numerous murals, tapestries, and sculptures for public spaces (e.g., ceramic wall, UNESCO Building, Paris, 1958). [Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1994]. The Miró Foundation in Catalonia also has an extensive collection of his works.