Timeline

1. 1876

   Born in Barcelona

   Julio González is born in Barcelona. He begins his career as a goldsmith in the family workshop with his brother Joan; in the evenings both take painting and drawing classes and frequent the “Els Quatre Gats” cabaret.

   

2. 1900

   Moving to Paris

   After their father’s death, Joan and Julio sell the family business and the whole family settles in Montparnasse, where they meet up again with Picasso, Manolo Hugué, Pablo Gargallo, Joaquín Torres-García and Max Jacob.

   

3. 1907

   First exhibition in Paris

   González exhibits in Paris for the first time, showing six paintings at the Salon des Indépendants.

   

4. 1908

   Death of Joan González

   His brother Joan, always in fragile health, dies. Julio is devastated.

   

5. 1909

   Birth of Roberta

   He marries Louise “Jeanne” Berton, who had posed for him. Their daughter Roberta is born the same year; after the couple separates she grows up with her father and her aunts.

   

6. 1911

   Alexandre Mercereau, his agent

   The writer and poet Alexandre Mercereau becomes his agent. González shows at several Paris salons, including the Salon d’Automne, and frequents the Closerie des Lilas with Modigliani and Brancusi.

   

7. 1912

   First repoussé metal mask

   He makes his first mask in repoussé metal, while continuing to paint, draw and make jewellery and metal objets d’art.

   

8. 1918

   Oxyacetylene welding

   In the factory where he works during the war, he learns oxyacetylene welding, a technique that will decisively shape his sculpture.

   

9. 1922–1923

   First solo exhibitions

   First solo exhibition in March 1922 at the Povolozky gallery, well received by the press, followed by another in January 1923.

   

10. 1928–1932

    Collaboration with Picasso

    González and Picasso work together on metal constructions designed for Guillaume Apollinaire’s funerary monument. The collaboration helps González assert his own sculptural language.

    

11. 1929

    Devoted to sculpture

    He gives up painting to devote himself entirely to sculpture and signs a contract with the Galerie de France, where he first shows his iron sculpture in 1930.

    

12. 1934

    “The sculptor of the void”

    “J. Gonzalez. Sculptures” at the galerie Percier (April–May); Maurice Raynal calls him “le plasticien du vide”. Another solo show at the Cahiers d’art gallery at the end of the year.

    

13. 1937

    La Montserrat

    La Montserrat, a determined Catalan peasant woman, holds a place of honour in the Spanish Republic’s Pavilion at the World’s Fair, alongside Guernica. Alfred Barr acquires the Head called “The Snail” for the Museum of Modern Art, New York.

    

14. 1941

    Back to Paris

    Having taken refuge in the Lot with his family and his son-in-law Hans Hartung, González, unable to continue his iron sculpture there, returns to Paris and reconnects with Picasso and his Spanish friends.

    

15. 1942

    Death of Julio González

    He dies suddenly on 27 March. Picasso, Apel·les Fenosa, Luis Fernández and Christian Zervos attend his funeral. His daughter Roberta will then devote herself to promoting his work.

    

Read the full biography →