In this essay Ricardo Richon Brunet reviews the evolution of Chilean art since the arrival of Raymond Monvoisin in the mid-nineteenth century. He describes the kind of work that was produced by the early artists, especially those who trained at the Academy, and recalls a wave of Chilean art with a pronounced French influence. He mentions the factors that were helping to promote the emerging art field, such as the founding of the Academia de Bellas Artes, state support for artists to study abroad, the creation of galleries and collections, and agents who, though they had no art training, were endowed with “refinement and intellectual culture” and contributed to the development of the arts. Richon Brunet points out that, in a little over half a century, Chilean art has gone from nothing to the founding of the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes. He explains that his survey is based on impressions formed during his time in Santiago. He refers to the organization of the Exposición Internacional de Bellas Artes, which, in his opinion, will raise Chile’s profile as an intellectual center.  

The French painter Ricardo Richon Brunet (1866–1946) settled in Chile in 1900; he had been sent by the French government to study the workings of the South American art circuit in his role as permanent delegate, based in Chile, of the National Society of Fine Arts in Paris. 

Richon Brunet studied painting at the École de Beaux-Arts in Paris and then spent time at several painting studios, including the one run by Jean-Léon Gérôme (1824–1904). While studying at these workshops he met the Chilean painters José Tomás Errázuriz (1856–1927) and Enrique Lynch del Solar (1862–1936). In 1896 he studied in Sevilla, Spain, on a grant from the French government. One of those who influenced his work was Edouard Manet (1832–1883), whom he met; he produced portraits, genre paintings, and costumbrista scenes of local customs. He had a notable career as a painter in Europe, earning a number of acknowledgements. Once in Chile he was mainly known for his writings about art in the country’s emerging field. According to the art historian Pedro Zamorano (b. 1953) and the academic Claudio Cortés (b. 1953), he made his mark on art criticism with his opinions and his presence. [For more information on this subject, see the following article in the ICAA Digital Archive: “Pintura chilena a comienzos de siglo: hacia un esbozo de pensamiento crítico” (doc. no. 765578) by Zamorano and Cortés.]

Various celebrations of Chilean culture were organized to commemorate the Republic of Chile’s Centenary of Independence (1910), beginning early in the year and involving neighboring countries. Major events included the opening of the Estación Mapocho and the Palacio de Bellas Artes, which was created to house the Museo Nacional and the Escuela de Bellas Artes. Another highlight was the Exposición Internacional de Bellas Artes, for which Richon Brunet served as Secretary General; his essay “El arte en Chile” appeared in the official illustrated catalogue for the exhibition of painting and sculpture. [On that subject, see “La historia y sus carencias. Introducción” (doc. no. 756093) by Guillermo Machuca and “Claves y constantes definidoras” (doc. no. 754547) by Antonio Romera]. Richon Brunet taught at the Escuela and contributed to the newspaper El Mercurio and the magazine Selecta (1909–12). He also contributed to and was artistic director of the Revista Zig-Zag (1905–64), among the many other roles he played in Chile.