Rafael Yela Günther

Rafael Yela Günther (born September 18, 1888 in Guatemala City , † April 17, 1942 ibid) was a Guatemalan sculptor and painter.

biography

Yela learned sculpture first from his father, the sculptor and stone sculptor Baldomero Yela Montenegro (1859–1909), and later from the Venezuelan Santiago González . He learned the technique of bronze casting at a course given by the Italian Antonio Doninelli . At a young age he made the acquaintance of important artists, including Carlos Mérida , Carlos Mauricio Valenti Perrillat and Jaime Sabartés . Around 1921 he went to Mexico , where he met Diego Rivera and through his acquaintance with the anthropologist Manuel Gamio got his first contact with the art of the Maya and Aztecs . In 1922 he created one of his most important works, a three-part wall relief entitled "Tríptico de la Raza" ( Spanish for Triptych of the Race ) for the Museo Arqueológico de Teotihuacán , which was later destroyed in the 1960s. From 1926 to 1930, Yela lived temporarily in the United States . He then created several impressive works in his home country. Most recently, until his death, he was director of the national art school for plastic arts in Guatemala City for several years .

Works (selection)

• " José Francisco Barrundia " monument, main cemetery of Guatemala City (1905/1906)
• " Isabel La Católica " monument, Guatemala City (1915)
• Monument to the leaders of the independence movement, Guatemala City (1934/1935)
• " Jacinto Rodríguez Díaz " mausoleum (1932)
• Heroes monument for Tecun Uman , Quetzaltenango
• " Justo Rufino Barrios " monument (1941)

Web links

Commons : Rafael Yela Günther  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Yela Günther, Rafael (English), Literatura Guatemalteca.