Damià Campeny i Estrany

Portrait of Damià Campeny i Estrany by Vicenç Rodés i Aries (around 1838)

The Neptune Fountain in Igualada

Damià Campeny i Estrany also Damià Campeny i Estany and Damià Campeny (* 1771 in Mataró , † 1855 in Barcelona ) was an outstanding Catalan sculptor of classicism . He mainly created works with mythological motifs. With Campeny's work, Catalan art had reconnected with the avant-garde aesthetics of early 19th century Europe.

Work and life

Campeny was born the son of a shoemaker in Mataró. There he learned and worked for four years in Salvador Gurri's sculpture workshop . He moved to Barcelona and worked with Pere Pau Muntanya on the neoclassical palace "Duana Nova". Muntanya then introduced him to the " Escola de la Llotja ", the art academy in Barcelona. Because of his excessive temper, he was expelled from this art academy. In 1796 the "Junta de Comerç", the Chamber of Commerce of Barcelona, ​​granted him a scholarship to study art in Rome because of his talent. While he was waiting for the grant to be awarded, he carved wooden figures in Baroque style such as "Saint Bruno" for the "Cartoxa de Montalegre" (Carthusian monastery of Montalegre), "Saint Vincent de Paul" and "Saint James" for churches in Mataró. In 1797 Campeny went to study at the "Accademia di San Luca" in Rome. There he befriended the sculptor Antonio Canova . He worked for the Vatican workshops and started the production of a series of highly significant works: He created the "Hercules Farnesi" and "Neptune" both in bronze for the embassy of the Spanish royal family in Rome. He sent various reliefs to the Chamber of Commerce in Barcelona, ​​such as "Diana surprised while bathing" and " Sisera in the tent of Jahel ". The Chamber of Commerce extended Campeny's grant due to the high artistic quality of these works. In 1803 he sent two works to the “Academia de San Fernando” in Madrid; In 1804 he sent the statues "Seated Lucretia " and "Cleopatra" to the Chamber of Commerce in Barcelona . The "Seated Lucretia" is today one of Campeny's most important works. In 1805 he created a grandiose table sculpture for the ambassador of Charles IV in Rome.

In 1815 Campeny returned to Barcelona; he was immediately appointed professor of sculpture on the Llotja. In 1819 he became director of the sculpture department. In 1840 he received the offer to take over the overall management of the Llotja. However, he declined this offer. Campeny worked in works such as the “Sant Enterrament” (Holy Entombment) for the art dealers in Barcelona with light materials such as wood, cardboard and cork. Campeny pledged to the Chamber of Commerce to leave his best marble sculptures to this Chamber of Commerce. In return, he received a lifelong pension of 9,000 reals. In 1819 Campeny left the “Academia de San Fernando” in Madrid an important collection of works in plaster, including the “Sacrifice of the Nymph Kallirrhoë ”. Campeny was then made an honorary member and honorary sculptor of this academy. In 1850 Campeny was also appointed as a member of the "Academy of Fine Arts" in Barcelona.

Religious motifs predominate in his later work. Noteworthy from the later phase is the “Neptune Fountain” (1832) in Igualada , the head of the sculptural decoration of the Porxos d'en Xifré building (1836) in Barcelona, ​​the later home of Pablo Picasso and the statue of “Galcerà Marquet”, a medieval vice admiral and a Catalan chronicler, also in this city.

In all of his works, Campeny strictly adhered to the laws of classicism. Campeny is considered one of the best classicist sculptors. With him, Catalan art found connection to the avant-garde aesthetics of the time.

literature

• Enciclopèdia Catalana: Campeny i Estany, Damià . In: Gran enciclopèdia catalana. 2nd edition 5th reprint 1992. Volume 6 . Enciclopèdia catalana, Barcelona 1987, ISBN 84-85194-90-X , p. 112 f . (Catalan).
• Enciclopèdia.cat: Damià Campeny i Estany. Retrieved April 26, 2018 (Catalan). 

Web links

Commons : Damià Campeny i Estrany  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

1. ↑ In southern European art history, this style of classicism is referred to as “neoclassicism”. It must not be confused with the Central and Eastern European “ neoclassicism ” of the early 20th century.