Miro Prints and Joan Miro Artwork

Born in Montroig near Barcelona, Joan Miró i Ferrà, (20 April 1893 – 25 December 1983) settled in Paris after completing his studies. His early paintings had been strongly influenced by Van Gogh. After meeting Picasso, he followed Cubism for a short period. In 1925 he joined the surrealists. The confrontation with the work of Arp, Kandinsky and, above all, Klee led to a free spontaneous form of language with which he invented a very personal, hieroglyphic-like picture world. The signs invented by him resemble fantastic visions, which, if on one hand, radiate a happy naivety, on the other hand, remind of ancient human symbols with their archaic expressiveness. Miró now ranks among the most important artists of the 20th century. An inventive and imaginative painter, sculptor, ceramicist and printmaker, he changed forever the course of modern art. Although he derived his own visual vocabulary from nature, his works are frequently viewed as interesting abstract compositions, an effect that is enhanced by his vivid palette. More than any of his contemporaries, Miró’s iconography forms a bridge between figurative and abstract imagery, and had a profound influence on succeeding generations of artists.