Anna Chromy

Anna Chromy

Anna Chromy, European painter and sculptress, was born to a Czech mother and a German father on July 18, 1940, in Krumau, Czechoslovakia. Anna's childhood in Bohemia provided her with her first indulgence in art, and she was often fascinated with images of ancient palaces displaying sculptures, graphics and paintings. After World War II, at the age of five, Anna and her family were forced to leave Krumlov and move to Austria. While in Austria, the musical culture of Vienna and Salzburg made a lasting impression on Anna, and would eventually be the inspiration for many of her works of art.

In 1970, Anna and her husband, Wolfgang, moved to Barbizon, France, which is southeast of Paris. Here, Anna was surrounded by artists who came from far and wide to paint the beautiful forests of Fontainebleau. While in Barbizon, Anna began to study at the Academy de la Grande Chaumire in Paris.

It was during her studies in Paris that Anna met her mentor, Salvador Dali, who also became a personal friend. As his pupil, Dali inspired Anna's imagination and creativity with his personal style of art known as surrealism. Anna developed an appreciation for Dali's style, and her paintings drew from her admiration of Dali and other artists of surrealism such as Max Ernst, Rene Magritte. She did a charcoal of Dali and Gala titled "Homage Dali & Gala," and Dali's image appears in her 1981 oil painting, "The Boat of Cadaces."

Beginning in the 1980s, Anna's work began to be the image of many widely publicized events. In 1985, Anna created three sketches called the Faces of Peace for the United Nations Year of Peace in New York. Her painting, Man, Earth, Universe, which was Anna's interpretation of transcendence to a better world, became the official painting of the 1992 World's Fair, also known as EXPO 92, in Seville, Spain.

In 1985, Anna Chromy and her husband established a new home in Cap Martin, France, on the Cote d'Azur, where she and her husband enjoyed many years with their three dogs and several cats. In this villa, Anna had the room to display all her works of art, turning her home into her own exclusive museum. Anna found pleasure adding her own individuality to this villa. She painted a mural of angels on one of the ceilings and dancing figures across her wardrobe doors. She turned one of the rooms into a studio where she painted her "Last Supper." Today, Anna's sculpture, "Coat of Saint Martin", sits at the entrance of Cap Martin.

While living in Cap Martin, Anna began sculpting marble at the studio of Massimo Galleni in Pietrasanta and Carrara, Italy, as well as at Studio Michelangelo of Franko Barattini. In 2002, Anna's sculpture, "The Heart of the World," was presented to Pope John Paul ll in St. Peter's Square in the Vatican. In 2008, Anna received the "Primo Michelangelo" which is the highest award for a sculptor in Italy. </>p

Never forgetting Austria's musical influence, Anna was the first sculptor to do the characters of Don Giovanni in life-size bronze. In 2000, Anna had her showing of her Don Giovanni and the Sound of Bronze Exhibition in Prague. This exhibition was an enormous success and brought her great exposure. Today, Anna's fountain of Czech musicians is located in Prague's Semovazni Square. Her sculpture, "The Cloak of Conscience," is located in the front entrance of the Stavovske Divadlo. In Prague, Anna has received several prestigious awards, including the Masaryk, Dali, and Kafka Awards.

Anna's interest in Greek and Roman mythology influenced her to create sculptures such as "Europe" and "Olympic Spirit." All of Anna's sculptures of mythical figures were displayed on the front terrace of the National Archeological Museum in Athens, Greece.

In 2009, China invited Anna as the first foreign sculptor to join the Chinese Academy of Sculpture and her work is mainly perceived as a message of peace and harmony. Anna's sculpture, "Carmen," will be the showpiece of the new opera house in Guangzhou and her sculpture, "Sisyphus," has a place of honor in the Museum of Modern Art in Guangzhou. Also that year, Anna"s sculpture, Olivier d'Or, was presented by Albert II, Prince of Monaco, to the Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Elie Wiesel.

Anna has been sculpting for over twenty years and has created many astonishing sculptures that can be seen in several countries. One sculpture in particular, "The Cloak of Conscience", is by far Anna's most monumental sculpture; it is her legacy. In 2008, Anna presented a model of "The Cloak of Conscience" to Pope Benedict XVI in the Vatican to mark the creation of the Conscience Institute, an organization devoted to the development of the arts. "The Cloak of Conscience," a statue of an empty, draping cloak, whose true essence is hidden, has become Anna's motivation and inspiration. Anna has been sculpting this invisible hero standing against corruption, this symbol for hope, love and peace, from a 200 ton block of marble derived from Cave Michelangelo in Carrara. An unwavering amount of strength, courage, and devotion to this profound sculpture has spanned over five years and is close to completion.

Anna Chromy's other sculptures of the Cloak of Conscience can be seen at the National Archeological Museum in Athens, Foundation Ferrero, Foundation C'a la Ghironda, Bologna, Museo dei Bozzetti, Pietrasanta, Italy, in Austria at the Salzburg Cathedral, at Keitum Church, Sylt, Germany, and at the Grimaldi Palace, Principality of Monaco.

Anna Chromy is my hero for her amazing inspiration and courage to express her visions for peace, love, and hope for a better understanding between people through the language of arts. Anna Chromy's sculpture, "The Cloak of Conscience", is conceived as the universal symbol for peace between people of all colors and religions, for the fight against terrorism and violence.