Paul Giudicelli: Master of Dominican Painting

November 8, 2024

Since I can remember, I have felt a deep admiration for the work of Paul Giudicelli. I clearly recall the time I saw a monograph titled Paul Giudicelli: Survivor of a Dark Era (Ediciones Galería de Arte Moderno, Santo Domingo, 1983), written by Dominican art historian Jeannette Miller, at Casa de Teatro in Santo Domingo. Since then, I have longed to obtain that book. I firmly believe that a filmmaker should create a documentary about this wonderful artist, featuring family, friends, and critics who can speak to his legacy.

Paul Giudicelli was born on November 13, 1919, in Ingenio Porvenir, Dominican Republic. He is considered a fundamental figure in the development of modern Dominican painting. His life and work reflect not only his artistic talent but also a profound connection to the country’s cultural identity, making him an unavoidable reference in the history of Dominican art.

He was the son of Angel Giudicelli Grillasca and Paulina Palmieri, both originally from Corsica, France. The family settled in San Pedro de Macorís, where they had seven children, Paul being the third. He lived in Ingenio Porvenir until the age of five, after which he moved to the “La Francia” colony in Boca Chica, where he remained until he was nine. During his childhood, his family traveled to France, where they resided for two years before returning to the Dominican Republic.

At eleven years old, Paul was enrolled in Colegio Santa Ana in Santo Domingo, where he completed his primary education by the age of fifteen. He later abandoned high school to study commerce but interrupted his studies to marry before turning sixteen. It was said that his marriage was an attempt to escape strict parental approval; he eloped with his girlfriend, the daughter of a wealthy family, and they hid in La Romana. However, his family found him and brought him back to San Pedro de Macorís, where the wedding eventually took place. After moving to Santo Domingo, they had two children, Pablo and Ángel, but soon divorced, and Paul remained single until his death.

Before dedicating himself to painting, Giudicelli had various job experiences. He started in commerce, then worked as a gold buyer in Santiago de los Caballeros, and later engaged in fruit trafficking in the northwest of the country. After these failures, in 1948, he decided to enroll in the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Santo Domingo. Despite a rift with his family, reconciliation came after the birth of his children, which improved his financial situation. Initially studying guitar, he soon focused on painting, motivated by a young Puerto Rican woman he met that year who encouraged him to enroll in the Escuela Nacional de Bellas Artes.

His decision to study art was not well received by his father, who hoped he would dedicate himself to agriculture. This led to a loss of financial support from his family, but Paul persevered. He completed his painting studies and received an honorary mention from the Director General of Fine Arts for his outstanding work. During that time, he also worked as the administrator of the Asilo de Ancianos in Santo Domingo.

In 1953, Paul held his first solo exhibition at the National Gallery of Fine Arts, showcasing 70 works. In 1957, he held his second exhibition at the Palacio Nacional de Bellas Artes, displaying 69 works. His third exhibition took place on January 23, 1959, with 94 works in the same gallery. In 1959, he exhibited 50 works at the San Cristóbal City Hall, and in 1962, he presented his last solo exhibition at the Faculty of Architecture and Engineering at the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo, showcasing 75 works.

Throughout his career, Giudicelli applied for several government scholarships to study art abroad, but was unsuccessful. However, in 1959, the French government granted him a scholarship to study murals, which he regrettably could not accept due to political issues related to his son Pablo. In 1960, he was appointed as a painting professor at the Escuela Nacional de Bellas Artes and later became the deputy director of the same institution, although these positions were withdrawn after a political incident.

After the assassination of Trujillo in 1961, he was reinstated as a professor. At the 1963 Biennial, he won the First Prize in Painting for his work “Meditation on the Armor of a Soldier.” Giudicelli became a pioneer of modernism in Dominican painting and also excelled in ceramics and mosaics. Between 1959 and 1961, he created several ceramic mosaic murals in different municipalities, capturing the social and cultural essence of his country and establishing himself as a reference in Dominican art, despite being the son of foreigners.

His artistic legacy is significant, leaving a lasting impact on the Dominican visual arts. Giudicelli is remembered not only as a talented artist but also as a symbol of dedication and effort.

From 1962 until his death in 1965, Giudicelli continued to achieve success. He won the First Prize in Painting at the 1963 Biennial with “Meditation on the Armor of a Soldier,” and his work began to be highly sought after. It can be said that he passed away at the height of his career, when life and success were within his reach.

At the age of 45 and after 17 years of artistic career, Paul Giudicelli died while painting. Amid his painful decline, the artist made the most of every moment of his life to express himself fully as a man and creator. His trajectory reflects a constant desire to integrate his personal experience with his art, transforming his work into a testament of his time. His oeuvre follows a path of exploration and experimentation, addressing human existence, form, and materials in a unique manner, placing him among the most distinguished contemporary painters in America.