Adolfo Couve

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Adolfo Couve (March 28, 1940 – March 11, 1998) was an artist and writer born in Valparaíso, Chile.

He was the first child of three. In his first years, he lived in Llay-Llay and then the family moved to Santiago. Couve entered the San Ignacio School (Jesuit). He finished college in 1958.

Couve married Martita Carrasco with whom had a daughter named Camila. The couple separated later.

He initiated his art studies at the Escuela de Bellas Artes, where he was a pupil of Professor Augusto Eguiluz. He lived in Paris on a fellowship from 1962 to 1963. He studied at the Ecole de Beaux Arts. Later on he moved to New York and studied and the Art's Student League. In this last city, he had his first exhibition in an uptown gallery.

Back in Chile, Couve became professor of art at the Universidad de Chile, where he taught until his death. He was also professor at the Universidad Católica de Chile between 1974 and 1981.

Throughout his life, he published several literary works: Alamiro (1965); En los desordenes de junio (1974); El Picadero (1974); Tren de cuerda (1976); La Lección de pintura (1979); El Pasaje (1989); La copia de yeso (1989); El cumpleaños del Señor Balande (1991); El Balneario (1993); La comedia del arte (1995); Cuarteto de infancia (1997); Cuando pienso en mi falta de cabeza (La segunda comedia) (1998).

Although he gained considerable fame as a painter, his greatest achievements are thought to be his literary works, which include ten volumes of novels, novellas, and short stories.

He took his life on the morning of March 11, 1998, in his house in Cartagena, Chile.