SURREAL SHAKESPEARE Portrait of William Shakespeare, 1982. Museum of Fine Arts of La Plata, Argentina, Oil, 30.7 x 24.4 in.
Juan Carlos Liberti The Argentine painter of Shakespeare
Juan Carlos Liberti was born in Buenos Aires on February 18, 1930. He has a successful business career until 1970 when he discovered his true calling: Painting. Juan Carlos Liberti finds in surrealism the perfect form of expression, becoming a perfect representative of the genre. He was friend of Borges and he illustated some of his works. On the left, Liberti & Borges in 1981. Liberti illustrated the translation of Hamlet by his fellow Argentine, Rafael Squirru. Squirru & Shakespeare "At the end of 1974, Rafael Squirru handed me a translation of William Shakespeare' s Hamlet which he had finished after several years of work, in the belief that I could be a good illustrator of this edition. I was flattered by his choice, yet at the same time, I was doubtful as to whether to accept such a challenge, since I did not conceive this to be just another illustration of Hamlet, but imagined it rather as the creation of characters faithful to my plastic vision. I began to read the tragedy of the Prince of Denmark, and as I read on, the different characters began to take shape in my mind, and they were later translated into surrealist drawings.
The images were favorably received, and the book, published in 1976, was presented in my solo show at Rubbers Gallery together with the corresponding drawings and oils. In reference to this show, the art critic Cesar Magrini wrote in the newspaper "El Cronista Comercial", published in Buenos Aires: "What is interesting is the previous inquiry that the artist has carried out, delving deeply into the text, resorting to his prodigious capacity to transmute images, without abandoning the propitious surrealist territory within which he moves so skillfully. The drawings are genuine technical wonders. Observing his oil-paintings, executed with the patience, the pains and the fervor of an old master, a clairvoyant and a prophet, admiration is-if possible- still further enhanced." At present, this edition may be found in important libraries around the world, among them, the National Library of Washington, USA; the National Library of Edinburgh, Scotland, and the National Library of Buenos Aires. The edition generated favorable commentaries. The Director of the Departament of Hispanic Studies of Edinburgh University wrote a letter to Rafael Squirru, saying: "It is a pleasure to hold this edition in my hands. Those of us who have seen it here are greatly impressed by Liberti's lithographs. Personally, I find the illustration in which Hamlet contemplates the King in prayer quite surprising. The economy of the drawing, in which the curves that weigh down the kneeling King suggest contrition, while Hamlet's semi-ghostly presence suggest his bond with his father, is remarkable. But I believe any of those lithographs is a collector's piece." Some years later, Rafael Squirru also translated "The Tempest", and once again, incited me to become involved in the Shakespearean world. Finally, the twelve surrealist drawings I did were included in a new book, published by Pettoruti Foundation in 1997. The book was presented at the National Library in Buenos Aires by it's director, Dr. Oscar Sbarra Mitre.". (Extract of the Book on Liberti's works called "Liberti 40 years of Surrealism" Buenos Aires, Latin American Art, 2006. pag. 49).
Hamlet Hamlet Ophelia Hamlet & Ophelia Halt blade! No jokes, now. The Queen