Silpa Bhirasri ( th, ศิลป์ พีระศรี; ; ), born Corrado Feroci (15 September 1892 – 14 May 1962), was a Tuscan-born Thai sculptor. He is considered the father of modern art in Thailand and was instrumental in the founding of today's Silpakorn University.

Life

Born in Florence, he studied at the Royal Art Academy of Florence and taught there from 1914 to 1923. Feroci was invited to Thailand in 1923 to teach Western sculpture at the Fine Arts Department of the Ministry of Palace Affairs. He was appointed as a sculptor in 1924 on a three-year contract for 800 baht per month. In 1943, he founded what later became Silpakorn University, the University of Fine Arts. When Italy surrendered to the Allies during World War II, Feroci changed his name and became a Thai national in 1944 to avoid arrest by the occupying

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

ese army. Previously estranged from his wife in Italy, in his later years he married one of his Thai students. Feroci / Bhirasri was the designer and sculptor of many of Bangkok's best known monuments, including Democracy Monument, Victory Monument, and the statue of King Rama I at Memorial Bridge. A Thai commemorative stamp was issued in 1992 on the centenary of his birth. His birthday, 15 September, is observed each year in Thailand as Silpa Bhirasri Day.

Death

He is buried in the

Cimitero Evangelico degli Allori The Cimitero Evangelico agli Allori ("The Evangelical Cemetery at Laurels") is located in Florence, Italy, between 'Due Strade' and Galluzzo. History The small cemetery was opened in 1877 when the non-Catholic communities of Florence could no lo ...

in the southern suburb of Florence, Galluzzo ( Italy).

Tribute

In 2016, he was featured as a Google Doodle on what would have been his 124th birthday.

Partial list of works

* Democracy Monument at Phra Nakhon district, Bangkok 1939. * Victory Monument at Ratchathewi district, Bangkok 1942. * Prathom Rajanusorn King Rama I statue at Phra Phutta Yodfa Bridge, Bangkok 1929. * Monument

Thao Suranari Thao Suranari ( th, ท้าวสุรนารี; 1771–1852) is the royally bestowed title of Lady The word ''lady'' is a term for a girl or woman, with various connotations. Once used to describe only women of a high social class ...

in Nakhon Ratchasima 1934. * Royal Memorial

King Rama VI Vajiravudh ( th, วชิราวุธ, , 1 January 188126 November 1925) was the sixth monarch of Siam under the Chakri dynasty as Rama VI. He ruled from 23 October 1910 until his death in 1925. King Vajiravudh is best known for his effor ...

at Lumphini Park, Bangkok 1942. * Monument King Naresuan the Great at Don Chedi, Suphanburi Province 1959. Sitthidet Saenghiran, Pakorn Lekson and Sanan Silakorn assisted in creation of the 1½ life size statue. * The Royal Monument of

King Taksin King Taksin the Great ( th, สมเด็จพระเจ้าตากสินมหาราช, , ) or the King of Thonburi ( th, สมเด็จพระเจ้ากรุงธนบุรี, ; ; Teochew: Dên Chao; April 17, ...

Wongwian Yai, Bangkok 1950. *

Phutthamonthon Phutthamonthon (, ; also spelled Buddha Monthon; from Sanskrit ''Buddha Máṇḍala'', 'Buddha's sphere') is a Buddhist park in Salaya subdistrict of Phutthamonthon district, Nakhon Pathom province, Thailand. The park is situated just outside ...

, Nakhon Pathom (west of Bangkok), 1976, considered to be the tallest free-standing Buddha statue in the world.

References

External links