20th-21st Century Spanish

Luisa Granero was born in Barcelona on 5 August 1924 to a humble family though with strong connections with the arts given that both her mother and her aunt sat as models for the painter Ramon Casas (1866-1932).

As a result of the Spanish Civil War, her childhood was marked by poverty and she was unable to attend school until she was nearly ten years old. As a young woman she struggled to survive, but her strong character and her drive to get ahead gave here the strength needed to overcome all hardships. Following the family tradition, she posed as a model for several artists, and it was this connection that led her to train as a sculptor.

In September 1941 Granero enrolled at the La Lonja School of Arts and Crafts in Barcelona. She was an accomplished student, and that won her direct entrance to the School of Fine Arts, where she trained under masters of the stature of Jaume Otero (1888-1945) or Enric Monjo (1895-1976), whose influence would prove critical in her future career. At that moment she began to take part in some major exhibitions, including successive participations in the National Fine Arts Exhibition in Barcelona, where she debuted in 1942.

After completing her studies in the 1940s, Granero began her career in Jaume Otero’s former studio. In parallel, she also worked as an assistant to the sculptor Martí Llauradó (1903-1957) until 1949. During that period, she worked tirelessly and presented her works, to great success, in many events. In 1948 she won a third medal at the National Fine Arts Exhibition in Madrid, the first in a long string of awards and commissions that led to the consolidation of her career. One year later she married the sculptor Enrique Galcerá (1919-1980) and the marriage gave her the stability and necessary peace of mind to continue working.

In 1964 she was appointed Professor of Sculpture at the School of Fine Arts of Barcelona, becoming only the second woman to obtain a teaching post at the institution. There she imparted the subjects of Modelling and Composition until her retirement in 1994. Around this time, she was awarded many distinctions. She had her first solo exhibition in 1968 at Sala Parés, in Barcelona, which met with great critical acclaim. From that moment onwards she alternated shows at that venue with others in the most important galleries in Spain.

Among the many distinctions she garnered throughout her career were her appointments as a member of the royal academies of San Fernando (Madrid), Santa Isabel de Hungría (Seville) and Sant Jordi (Barcelona). She was also a member of the National Sculpture Society of New York.

Luisa Granero died in Barcelona, on 27 March 2012, at the age of 87.