Background
Alonso was born in Tunuyán, a city in the west of the province of Mendoza, Argentina, on February 4, 1929. He lived there for seven years and then moved with his family to Mendoza.
In 1944 Alonso entered the Academia Nacional de Bellas Artes.
Carlos Alonso studied at the National University of Cuyo.
In 1944 Alonso entered the Academia Nacional de Bellas Artes.
Carlos Alonso studied at the National University of Cuyo.
(Portrait of Javier Villafañe)
Portrait of Javier Villafañe
Alonso was born in Tunuyán, a city in the west of the province of Mendoza, Argentina, on February 4, 1929. He lived there for seven years and then moved with his family to Mendoza.
In 1944 he entered the Academia Nacional de Bellas Artes where he studied under the supervision of Sergio Sergi in drawing and engraving, Lorenzo Dominguez in sculpture, and Ramón Gomez Cornet and Bernareggi Francisco in painting. Later, he was a student at the National University of Cuyo, he studied with Lino Enea Spilimbergo.
Alonso's career as an artist was a huge success from the very beginning, it was stimulated by the numerous awards he received during these years. In 1952 Alonso had his first exhibition at the Gallery, Mendoza Giménez. The following year, the artist exhibited at the Viau Gallery of Buenos Aires. Thanks to a contract with the gallery he was able to travel to Europe in 1954 and showed his artworks in many exhibitions in Paris and Madrid.
Carlos Alonso also produced book illustrations, including those for the second part of Don Quixote, an edition of the poem Martín Fierro, Creole ballads, anthology of Juan, Juguete rabioso, Irene, lesson of Anatomy and Mano a mano.
In 1961 he visited London and discovered then newly appeared acrylic painting techniques. His Don Quixote pictures were published on postcards in the Soviet Union in 1963.
His works, characterized by expressive power and social commitment, have been displayed in numerous exhibitions, including at the Art Gallery International (Buenos Aires). There, in 1967, some 250 of his artworks relating to Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy were presented. Among other exhibitions were the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City, as well as at the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes de La Habana in Cuba.
It was in the 1970s when he joined the trend called New Realism. In 1971, his works were exhibited in European galleries such as Villa Giulia in Rome, the Eidos of Milan, and the Bedford in London. In 1979 he had an exhibition at the Palatine Gallery of Buenos Aires. He worked regularly with this gallery from 1982 to 1996.
In 2005, 400 years after Cervantes' work was published, the Museum of Design and Illustration organized a tribute exhibition at Buenos Aires' Museo de Artes Plásticas Eduardo Sívori where Alonso's prints and drawings were presented. His illustrations have been included in the novel Mad Toy by Roberto Arlt.
Carlos Alonso is one of the most prominent contemporary artists. His works can be found in different parts of the world, both in private and public collections.
Alonso has become a recipient of a great number of awards. He obtained his first professional success when he was awarded first prize in the student lounge received in 1947. The following year he showed his engravings and was awarded the first prize.
In 1951, the artist won first prize at the Salon of Painting in San Rafael, the North Hall in Santiago del Estero, and drawing at the Salon del Norte Tucumán. In 1957 he became the winner of the competition held by Emecé Editores receiving an opportunity to illustrate the second part of Don Quixote, and Martín Fierro in 1959. In 1961 Alonso won the Premio Chantal del Salón de Acuarelistas y Grabadores of Buenos Aires.
La andariega
(Portrait of Javier Villafañe)
Retrato de Spilimbergo
Las bestias de aquel infierno
Mesa de Courbet
Desnudo
Carne de Primera
L.E.S.
Reclining Figure
In Hell
Adam and Eve
Adam and Eve Expelled from Paradise
Desnudo
Nude
Othello y Desdemona
Harmonie
Paisaje
Composicion
Personaje circense
Spilimbergo
Interno
Ivonne
Interior de taller
Autorretrato
El gato
Divan-Vaca - Persecución
Figuras
El picnic
Ivonne
Untitled
Figura
Retrato de niño
Figura
Figura marrón
El juicio de frine
Figura con vela
El pintor y la modelo
Jaime davalos
Carlos Alonso was married to Ivonne Fauvety, an artist. His daughter Paloma, who was born on July 25, 1956, disappeared in 1977. Alonso together with Teresa Nachman established the Bienal de Pintura Paloma Alonso, named in the honour of his daughter, in 1990.
Alonso is the uncle of Salvador Alonso, a well-known chess grandmaster.
