Raúl Soldi

Raúl Soldi (27 March 1905 – 21 April 1994) was an Argentine painter and production designer whose work treated various subjects, including landscapes, portraits, the theater and the circus, and nature. His theatrical figures are renowned for their melancholy appearance. He also illustrated poetry books. Raúl Soldi was born into an artistic family in Buenos Aires in 1905, his father was a cellist and his eldest sister studied piano and song. He began his studies at the National Academy of Fine Arts, Buenos Aires, Argentina then travelled to Europe in 1921. He stayed in Germany until 1923 then moved to Italy to continue his studies, enrolling in the Real Academy of Brera (Milan) where he remained until 1932. Whilst in Italy, he became involved with groups of vanguard artists. He also did a lot of films as a production designer and scenographer both in Argentina and USA.

In 1932, he returned to Argentina and continued to produce oils, watercolors, inks, drawings, lithographies and monocopies.

In 1933, he began to work as cinematographic theatrical designer for national films and continued this work for fifteen years.

In 1941, he was granted a scholarship by the National Commission of Culture and travelled to Hollywood in the United States.

In 1953, he began work upon the murals of the Church of Santa Ana, Glew, Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina – a project that took 23 summers to complete.

In 1966, he redecorated the Cupola of the Colón Theater of Buenos Aires with several dancers and musicians from old times without receiving any pay of this big project.

In 1968, he travelled to Israel, to paint a fresco in the Basilica of the Anuncición, in Nazareth, a mural inspired by the miracle of the Virgin of Luján.

In 1971, he created a mosaic of the Church of San Isidro Labrador.

In 1973, his work Santa Ana and the Virgin is included in the Gallery of Sacred Art at the Vatican.

In 1979, his mural Santa Fiorentina is incorporated in the Cathedral of the city of Campana, province of Buenos Aires, Argentina.In 1989, he created the mosaic Camerata Bariloche, for the Museum of the Park of Portofino, Italy.