Federico Castellón

The recorded working language is Spanish and English. Old master is recorded as an influence. Work by Federico Castellón is recorded in the collections of Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Minneapolis Institute of Art, Art Institute of Chicago, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and Museum of Modern Art. Distinctions recorded are Guggenheim Fellowship.

• Name — Federico Castellón • Birth Name — Federico Cristencia de Castellón y Martínez • Born — 14 September 1914 • Birthplace — Almería, Spain • Died — 29 July 1971 • Known for — * Painter • sculptor • book illustrator • printmaker

Castellón was born in Almería, Spain, and immigrated to the United States with his family in 1921, settling in Brooklyn, New York. A self-taught artist, he began sketching at a young age and visited the city's museums, where his influences ranged from Old Masters to modern artists including Giorgio de Chirico, Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí, and Georges Rouault. At Erasmus High School, teachers recognized his draughtsmanship. After graduation, he completed a mural for the school on the subject of arts and sciences. Inspired by modern European movements, the mural attracted critical attention when exhibited at Raymond & Raymond Galleries before its permanent installation at the school.

Castellón was introduced to Diego Rivera, who had an international reputation and was painting murals for Rockefeller Center. Rivera took an interest in the young man's work and brought Castellón's drawings to the attention of the director of the Weyhe Gallery, who subsequently gave the eighteen-year-old his first solo exhibition.

In 1934, with Rivera's help, Castellón was awarded a four-year fellowship, sponsored by the Spanish Government, to travel throughout Europe to study painting and printmaking. During this period, he began exhibiting his work in museums in France and Spain. In 1935, Castellón participated in the Paris Exhibition of Spanish Artists that included Pablo Picasso, Juan Gris, and Joan Miró.

Although his formal education ended with high school, Castellón taught at Teachers College, Columbia University, Pratt Institute, and Queens College. He was elected to membership in the National Academy of Design, was awarded a First Prize from the Library of Congress, and was a member of the Society of American Graphic Artists.