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Rafael Pi Belda (Valencia, 25th January 1929) is a Spanish sculptor. He studied beaux-arts in Valencia under the guidance of Enrique Pérez Comendador and José Ortells López. His works are mainly figurative.

Early years
Rafael Pi Belda was born in Valencia on 25th January 1929. He grew up in a working family. His father worked as a furniture restorer though his mother also played a key role in his initiation to the Fine Arts. During his childhood years he lived in the historic district of Valencia where numerous artists' studios were devoted to the making of religious images in the vicinity of the Cathedral. The observation of their activity awakened his penchant for sculpture.

Education
From the age of sixteen, he attended the workshops of sculptor Carmelo Vicent, where he learnt the techniques of model-making, carving and relief as a preparation for the entrance examination to Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Carlos de Valencia. Between 1947 (aged 18) and 1952 he specialised in sculpture at that school under the tuition of Octavio Vicent, Carmelo Vicent, Enrique Giner and Manuel Beltrán among others.

In 1952 he received a study grant from the regional government of Valencia that allowed him to pursue his education in Madrid and in Italy.



Career
In 1983 he started creating large-size bronze monuments. His work Al  y al , installed in Caravaca de la Cruz (Murcia, Spain) is the first of this series.

Until 1994 he shared his time between his work as a secondary school teacher and his sculpture workshop.

Since 1997 he is dedicated full-time to sculpture.

Comments on his work
Francisco Agramunt commented on his style and technique: «Rafael Pi Belda's sculpture has its grounds on continued work, radical honesty and great technical mastery. Among the sculptors of the second half of the 20th century, his case is that of an independent artist that has developped a distinctive technique, within which he has evolved smoothly but steadily, until reaching a style that could be defined as mediterranean impressionism of a great expressive maturity, not only because his art is imbued with a classicist character but also because the artist is emotionally deeply rooted in that coastal geography.»

Work

 * Al moro y al cristiano, 1983, Caravaca de la Cruz (Murcia, Spain). Bronze. 2’20 metres high.


 * A San Juan de la Cruz, 1986, Caravaca de la Cruz (Murcia). Bronze. 2’00 metres high.


 * Al alpargatero, 1987, Cehegín (Murcia, Spain). Bronze. 2’20 metres high.


 * Talía, 1990, Teatro Guerra, Lorca (Murcia). Bronze. 0’85 metres high.


 * Conde de Floridablanca, 1992, Murcia. Bronze. 1’65 metres high. I.E.S. Floridablanca.


 * A los tamboristas, 1997, Moratalla (Murcia, Spain). Bronze. 2’20 metres high.


 * Al agricultor, 1998, Cehegín (Murcia, Spain). Bronze. 2’20 metres high.


 * IX Conde de Aranda, 1998, L%27Alcora (Castellón, Spain). Bronze. 2’30 metres high.


 * San Francisco de Asís, 1998, L%27Alcora (Castellón). Bronze. 0’60 metres high.


 * Granerer de Torrent, 1999, Torrent (Valencia). Bronze. 2’20 metres high.


 * A la nazarena, 1999, Cehegín (Murcia). Bronze. 2’30 metres high.


 * Via Crucis, 2000, Caravaca de la Cruz (Murcia, Spain). Bronze. 0 ’45 metres wide by 0’60 metres high (each one of the fourteen stations of the Cross). Real Basílica Santuario de la Vera Cruz de Caravaca.


 * Cristo de la vega, 2000, Calasparra (Murcia, Spain). Bronze. 2’30 metres high. Located in Finca El Soto (on the road linking Calasparra and Caravaca de la Cruz, Murcia, Spain). Christ crucified.


 * A las madres fundadoras de las HH. de Cristo Crucificado, 2001, Murcia (Santo Ángel). Bronze. 1’80 m.


 * Rey Don Jaime, 2001, Nules (Castellón). Bronze. 2’40 m. This monument portrays the king James I of Aragon (Rey Don Jaime I el Conquistador), king of Valencia and Aragon (Crown of Aragon).


 * Al vino, 2001, Bullas (Murcia). Bronze. 2’20 metres high.


 * Obra conmemorativa de la concesión de la Santa Sede de Año Jubilar perpetuo a la Basílica Santuario de la Vera Cruz de Caravaca, 2001, Caravaca de la Cruz (Murcia, Spain). Bronze.


 * Ecce Homo, 2002, Torrent (Valencia). Polychrome wood. 1’65 m. Paso de Semana Santa (passion float) in Torrent (Valencia, Spain).


 * A la gent del camp, 2003, Torrent (Valencia). Bronze. 2’20 m. de altura.


 * Al tejero, 2003, Cehegín (Murcia). Bronze. 1’90 m. Tributo al trabajo artesano de la fabricación de teja moruna.


 * Al venerable Fray Luis Amigó, 2004, Torrent (Valencia, Spain). Bronze. 2’30 metres high.


 * Pantocrátor, 2004, Gandía (Valencia, Spain). Mahogany high relief, 5’00 metres wide by 3’00 metres high, installed at the high altar of the Parish of Cristo Rey.


 * A la Beata Juana Maria Condesa Lluch, 2005, Valencia (Spain. Bronze. 1’50 metres high. Casa Generalicia de las HH. Esclavas de María Inmaculada.


 * San Antonio de Padua, 2007, Gandía (Valencia, Spain). Patinated lime wood, 1'50 metres high. Parish of Cristo Rey.


 * Beata Juana María Condesa Lluch con niña orante, 2008, Valencia. Chapel of Colegio de las Esclavas de María Inmaculada. Birch carved wood, 1’50 metres high.


 * Cristo Crucificado, 2009, Valencia. Birch carved wood. 2’30 metres high, on a cipress wood cross 4’50 metres high installed at the high altar of the Parish of San Luis Obispo de Valencia.


 * San Luis Obispo, 2009, Valencia. Birch carved wood. Parish of San Luis Obispo de Valencia.


 * Beata Juana María Condesa Lluch, 2010, Almansa (Albacete, Spain). Bronze. 1’60 metres. Centro de Espiritualidad de las HH. Esclavas de María Inmaculada.


 * Als espardenyers, 2010, La Vila Vella (Castellón, Spain). Bronze. 1’80 metres.