Carlos Morel

Carlos Morel
Portrait in oils c.1838 by Fernando García del Molino
Born	12 February 1813 Buenos Aires
Died	10 September 1894 Quilmes
Nationality	Argentine

Carlos Morel (12 February 1813 – 10 September 1894) was a prominent Argentine painter in the nineteenth century, known as the first truly Argentine painter.

Carlos Morel was born in Buenos Aires on 12 February 1813, the son of José María Morel y Pérez and Juliana Miró. His father was a wealthy Spanish merchant and his mother was daughter of a customs official. His father died on 6 June 1825. Carlos and his brother Estanislao both entered their late father's business at an early age.

Morel entered the art school of the University of Buenos Aires in 1827, studying under the Swiss José Guth, and graduating in 1830 at the age of seventeen. He then spent another year under the Italian Pablo Caccianiga. One of his classmates was Fernando García del Molino, who later helped him on some of his works. In 1830 his mother married the Italian painter Cayetano Descalzi, then legally separated from him eight years later. Descalzi may have also instructed Morel.

As early as 1837 Morel was described as a promising young painter by Marcos Sastre in his speech opening the literary salon. Morel painted a variety of subjects including portraits, miniatures, genre scenes and battle scenes. His first lithograph, The Descent dates to 1836. He became one of the masters of this medium, with works that excel in composition such as Buenos Aires Cathedral, Startled Horse, Cuirassiers and Cavalry.

Morel sailed from Buenos Aires on 22 February 1842 bound for Rio de Janeiro. That city was going through a cultural revival at that time, home to artists who had left France after the restoration of the absolute monarchy, encouraged by the Emperor Pedro II of Brazil. In Rio he learned the daguerreotype technique, which had been invented in 1839. At that time Prilidiano Pueyrredón was living in Rio with his family, as well as other intellectuals opposed to the regime of Juan Manuel de Rosas including Bernardino Rivadavia, José María Gutiérrez and Juan Bautista Alberdi. His brother-in-law José María Dupuy was arrested and killed during disturbances in Buenos Aires in April 1842. Soon after hearing of his death, Morel made a miniature portrait of Dupuy.