Horacio Coppola & Grete Stern

Grete was born in Germany and met Coppola in Europe, during the '30s. They were a couple till 1943, when they split. However, such relationship bred in Stern a profound love for Argentina. She considered herself an Argentine photographer and in 1958 she adopted the nationality. She lived here till her death.

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1. Selfportrait, by Grete Stern (1943) - Photography / Measures: 21.9 x 30.5 cm - MNBA

2. Buenos Aires nocturno, by Horacio Coppola (1936) - Photography / Measures: 29 x 38 cm - MNBA

Juan del Prete & Eugenia Crenovich (Yente)

Yente was Del Prete's disciple. She admired the master and was deeply moved by his particular vision of the Arts. They began a journey together in which he would prevail and she would be his muse and support. It was an intense and creative relationship, which would inspire new generations of artists in quest for artistic and sculptural answers. 

3. Nature and child, by Juan del Prete (1953) - Oil on hardboard / Measures: 64 x 47 cm - MNBA

4. Composición N°4, by Eugenia Crenovich  - Oil on wood / Measures: 22 x 17.2 cm - Private collection

Ana Mendieta & Carl André

“Carl and Ana had very different personalities and that was probably what attracted them", artist Liliana Porter, friend of Mendieta, recollects and adds: “Carl was very methodic in his daily life, had his routines, and Ana was just the opposite. He liked her strong character". Their relationship however was tempestuous and on December 8th, 1985, Ana was found dead on Mercer St, in New York. He had called 911 saying simply that someone had fallen from the window (they lived in an apartment on floor 34). His guilt was never proved and it was finally considered an accident.

5. Flores en el cuerpo, by Ana Mendieta (1973) 

6. Steel Magnesium Plaim, by Carl André (1969) 

Camille Claudel & Auguste Rodin

Camille was an exceptional artist and was able to develop her immense talent in spite of living in a time when women could not have such expectations. She lived a passionate relationship with Rodin, but Auguste was a married man and never had the idea of leaving his wife, nor for his other "constant" mistress. Not even Camille's pregnancy made him change his mind. The jealousy, humiliations and pressures finally ended the relationship. Camille spent her final days, isolated in a psychiatric hospital in Montdevergues.

7. Sakountala, by Camille Claudel (1888) - White marble.

8. The kiss (study), by René François Auguste Rodin (c. 1881-1882) - Cast and terracotta / Measures: 76 x 44 x 54 cm - MNBA

Frida Kahlo & Diego Rivera

Once upon a time a young, passionate and strong girl, called Frida, took her paintings to famous master Diego Rivera so he could analyse them. The psychological consequences of a past accident, plus the constant pains and a crippled leg, had made of Frida a dramatic and one of a kind persona. Diego was not only impressed by her talent as an artist but was also left breathless by her personality. Shortly after they began a relationship which ended in marriage in 1929. However, their love was far  from ordinary: their passion and coexistence, instead of peaceful and calm, was purely chaotic.  Both genius and artists, engaged in social and political revolutions, their paintings are marked by the symbiosis between them.  They loved, desired and tortured each other constantly.

9. Composición con reloj, by Diego Rivera (1914) - Oil on hardboard / Measures: 27 x 22 cm - MNBA.

10. Autorretrato con chango y loro, by Frida Kahlo (1942) - Oil on canvas / Measures: 54.6 x 43.2 cm - MALBA

Raquel Forner & Alfredo Bigatti

In 1935, sculptor Alfredo Bigatti received the National Sculpture Prize at the XXV Salón Nacional for his work Alba (stone head), inspired by Raquel Forner, his long time wife. He dies 30 years later and she honours him by painting a large work (4 x 2.75 meters), called Viaje sin retorno (Journey of no return). The painting is made of nine panels entitled La partida (departure), El adiós (goodbye), El mensaje (the message), Astronauta laberinto (astronaut labyrinth), Lucha astrofauna (fight), Amor (love), Pasión (passion), Integración (integration) and Recuerdo (Memory). Reality and fiction meet in this post-mortem homage, which offers however a vision of hope for those who shared true love.

11. Hombre y caballo, by Alfredo Bigatti - Bronze / Measures: 64.2 x 30 x 45 cm.

12. Bañista, by Raquel Forner (1928) - Oil on hardboard / Measures: 96 x 71.2 cm - MNBA

Juliana Laffitte & Manuel Mendanha:  Mondongo

What began as an art group is now the result of a successful couple that share everything. Juliana and Manuel create together every single work, enjoy professional success and raise together their little daughter, usually muse to their huge talent. 

The Mondongo couple.