Exhibitions online 

Masks – 1912/1914

By 1905, several years after first settling in Paris, Julio González forms part of Montparnasse's artistic milieu. Hailing from a family of renowned Catalan decorative metal-workers, Gonzalez too masters the art of chiseling bronze, silver and copper. In 1912, the artist creates his first metal masks using the "repoussé" technique, in both copper and silver, depicting a child's head. For Julio, this presents an alternative to drawing to create portraits of his friends and family. Masque de face and Profil de jeune fille are displayed at the  Salon d'automne in Paris in 1913. Starting at that time, Julio Gonzalez abandons the naturalistic style previously used in his cast or forged objects in favor of a more classical style, visible in his sculpture. The rough, textured surface is replaced by smooth, hardly marked faces, often with closed eyes. The technique is complex and the work rigorous, but as he hones his skill, more details appear, such as a more pronounced nose and hair. His masks dated from 1914 demonstrate this technical growth. However, World War I curtails Paris's Salons d'automne and des Indépendants. Gonzalez changes artistic directions as classicism attracts less interest.

Techniques illustrées :

Jewellery / Goldsmithing

Drawings

Paintings

Sculptures