José Maria Oscar Rodolfo Bernardelli Y Thierry

Place: Guadalajara

Born: 1852

Death: 1931

Biography:

Rodolfo Bernardelli was a Mexican-born Brazilian sculptor and art professor, of Italian ancestry, born in Guadalajara, Mexico in 1852. He was the oldest of four children born to a violinist and a dancer. His brothers, Félix and Henrique, also became artists, and Félix was a musician as well. Due to his parents' profession, Bernardelli was exposed to the arts from a young age.

Early Life and Education

Bernardelli studied sculpture in Mexico before moving to Brazil in 1871, where he continued his studies at the Imperial Academy of Fine Arts in Rio de Janeiro. He became a professor of sculpture at the academy in 1882 and went on to become one of the most important sculptors in Brazilian history.

Career and Contributions

Bernardelli's academic style and contributions to the development of sculpture in Brazil are still celebrated today. He was awarded the title of Knight of the Order of the Rose by the Brazilian emperor Pedro II in 1882 and was made an Officer of the Order of the Southern Cross in 1897. He was also a member of the Brazilian Academy of Letters and the Brazilian Academy of Fine Arts. Some of his notable works can be found in museums such as the Museo Real Colegio Del Corpus Christi in Valencia, Venezuela, which features a collection of artworks from various periods and styles. The museum's collection includes paintings by famous artists like Jan Gossart, Ramon Marti Alsina, and Joaquin Sorolla Y Bastida. For more information on the museum's collection, visit https://Wikioo.org/Art.nsf/O/A@D3BLM7.

Legacy and Later Life

Bernardelli was the most influential sculptor of his generation, and his workshop in central Rio de Janeiro was a meeting place for numerous cultural and political figures. However, he also faced criticism for being vain, arrogant, and mediocre. Despite this, he served as Director of the Escola Nacional de Belas Artes for twenty-five years and held a virtual monopoly on artistic education in the capital. After his death in 1931, the Núcleo Bernardelli, a progressive artists' society, was created to honor him and his brother, Henrique. A considerable number of his smaller, less monumental works were donated to the Pinacoteca do Estado and the Museu Maria. For more information on Rodolfo Bernardelli's life and work, visit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodolfo_Bernardelli.

• Some of his notable works include monuments for Generals Manuel Luís Osório and Duque de Caxias.
• He was part of a judging committee for choosing new façades on the Avenida Central in Rio de Janeiro.
• He contributed six ornamental statues for the Teatro Municipal in Rio de Janeiro.

Bernardelli's legacy as a sculptor and art professor continues to be celebrated in Brazil and around the world. His contributions to the development of sculpture in Brazil are still studied and admired today, and his workshops and teachings continue to inspire new generations of artists. Visit https://Wikioo.org/@/Rodolfo-Bernardelli for more information on his life and work.