José Manuel Capuletti

José Manuel Capuletti Lillo del Pozo was a Spanish painter born in Valladolid in 1925, who demonstrated a great talent for drawing and painting from a young age. Although self-taught, he held his first exhibitions in his hometown before moving to Madrid to focus on drawing, watercolors, and portraits. In 1946, he began working as a costume and set designer for Spanish ballet companies, and in 1951 he moved to Paris, where he had his first solo exhibition the following year. Capuletti struggled financially during his early years in Paris, but eventually gained recognition from the artistic community and the public. In 1958, he exhibited in New York City and achieved commercial success in the United States. In the mid-1960s, he worked as a designer for the Harkness Ballet in New York City. In 1968, Capuletti returned to Spain and settled in Mairena del Alcor, where he found inspiration in the flamenco and bullfighting traditions of Andalusia. He created a series of forty-nine portraits of famous flamenco singers, dancers, and guitarists, which he exhibited in Seville in 1969. In 1973, he left his wife and moved to La Puebla del Río with Irish Henrich, who would become his partner until his death. They later moved to Madrid, where their daughter was born in 1975. Capuletti was a highly imaginative painter who combined influences from surrealism, neorealism, and hyperrealism. He was a skilled draftsman who often depicted the female form and incorporated trompe l'oeil effects into his still-life paintings. He also worked as a costume and set designer for ballet companies and famous flamenco dancers. Capuletti died suddenly in Germany in 1978 while traveling with his partner.