José Manuel Capuletti

JOSÉ MANUEL CAPULETTI LILLO DEL POZO (Valladolid, 1925 - Eltville am Rhein, Germany, 1978).
"Flamencos of yesterday and today".
Mixed media on cardboard adhered to tablex.
Signed in the lower right corner. Titled in the upper left area. Measurements: 49 x 63 cm; 62 x 76 cm (frame).
In Flamencos de ayer y hoy, Capuletti approaches the universe of flamenco from an evocative and scenographic perspective, synthesizing past and present in a frontal and almost theatrical space. The composition, built from simplified forms and firm contours, refers to a popular setting in which the architectural and decorative elements acquire a strong narrative value. The deliberate use of a reduced palette, with sharp hallmarks between dark backgrounds and light surfaces, reinforces the timeless character of the scene and underlines the artist's interest in cultural memory and the survival of traditions.

Manuel Capuletti was self-taught, soon arriving at a personal language of surrealist heritage, almost always starring the human figure. He was also the author of scenographies and figurines for the ballet, and portraits such as Arthur Rubinstein, Charles Boyer and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. He settled in Paris in 1950, and was soon recognized by critics and the public, without neglecting his contacts in Spain with the world of theater and flamenco. Later he made several trips to the United States, holding various exhibitions in New York. In 1967 he returned to Spain, and two years later he held an important exhibition of portraits of flamenco singers and dancers at the Ateneo de Sevilla. However, in 1976 he died unexpectedly during a trip to Germany, being buried in the cemetery of Walluf. A good part of his legacy remained in the collections of Mairena and Alcalá.