Antonio Berni, one of the great artists of contemporary Argentine painting

The National Secretariat of Culture remembers one of the most important Argentine painters of the 20th century, 44 years after his death.
The prominent painter, engraver, and muralist was born on May 14, 1905, in Rosario, Santa Fe, and died on October 13, 1981, in Buenos Aires. He was one of the most influential artists of 20th-century Argentine art, recognized for his technical versatility and ability to construct unique visual universes.

The son of an Italian tailor and an Argentine mother, the daughter of Italian immigrants, Berni began studying painting at the Catalan Center in his hometown. At 17, he held his first exhibition, and three years later, he presented his works at the Witcomb Gallery in Buenos Aires, where he received critical acclaim. This recognition allowed him to obtain a scholarship from the Jockey Club of Rosario to continue his studies in Europe.

In Paris, he trained with André Lhote and Othon Friesz at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière, and participated in exhibitions at the Madrid Salon and the Nancy Gallery. His time in Europe connected him with the main aesthetic movements of the time, such as surrealism and expressionism.

After his return to Argentina in the 1930s, Berni settled back in Rosario and actively participated in the local cultural life. In the following decades, he developed a body of work marked by technical experimentation, incorporating oil paintings, engraving, sculpture, and collage.
Among his most emblematic creations are the series dedicated to the characters Juanito Laguna and Ramona Montiel, which allowed him to explore new narrative and compositional forms. Works such as Juanito Laguna Learns to Read (1961), Nightmare of the Unjust (1961), and First Steps (1936) are part of the permanent collection of the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes.
In 1941, he embarked on a journey through Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, and Colombia to conduct studies on pre-Columbian art, commissioned by the National Commission of Culture. In 1976, he traveled to New York, where he presented the exhibition The Magic of Everyday Life at the Bonino Gallery. Five years later, he opened La Casa de Antonio Berni, a gallery and auction house in downtown Buenos Aires that became a key space for artistic dissemination.

In addition to his artistic production, Berni taught at the Buenos Aires School of Fine Arts, training generations of artists with a rigorous approach and commitment to technical excellence.

He died on October 13, 1981, in Buenos Aires. Antonio Berni remains in the pantheon of the great masters of Latin American art, alongside figures such as Xul Solar, Diego Rivera, and Tarsila do Amaral, with a body of work that continues to engage with the aesthetic pursuits of his time and beyond.
Source