Sculptor. He was a Spanish sculptor of the early 20th century. His full name was Julio Antonio Rodríguez Hernández, but was known professionally as Julio Antonio. Some of his earliest work carry the name "Antonio Rodríguez." He was a prolific and an exceptional sculptor during his short career. In 1897 his father, a first infantry sergeant, was relocated to Cuba, while his mother, his two sisters moved to Barcelona where he continued his apprenticeship at the studio of the sculptor Feliu Ferrer i Galzeran. After being awarded a scholarship in 1907, he moved to Madrid to study at Miquel Blay's studio. He began his career drawing urban landscapes and nudes, which he presented at his first exhibition in Tarragona in 1908, most of which are now lost. He went from drawing to sculpturing. Another scholarship, gave him three months traveling through Italy with his mother, visiting Rome, Florence and Naples. "Busts of the Race" was a series of sculptures he created to show the many faces of local village people. His best-known piece is a monument for those who defended Tarragona during the Peninsular War, "Monument to the Heroes of Tarragona," which was started in 1910 and finished just prior to his death. It was dedicated in 1931. Among his most memorable creations are "Flores Malsanas," "Monumento a los Héroes Desnudos," "Monumento a Goya," "Monumento a Chapí," "Minero de Puertollano," "Ventero de Peñaltordo," "Pastor de la Sierra" and "Monumento a Eduardo Saavedra." In 1968, the Museum of Modern Art in Tarragona was bequeathed a large part of his work. In November of 2018, in preparation for the 100th anniversary of his death, his remains and those of his mother were exhumed from the Cementerio de la Almudena in Madrid, and relocated to the cemetery in Mora de Ebre, his birthplace. He died from the complications of tuberculosis at the Villa Luz sanatorium in Madrid. His death was covered well in the newspapers.

Sculptor. He was a Spanish sculptor of the early 20th century. His full name was Julio Antonio Rodríguez Hernández, but was known professionally as Julio Antonio. Some of his earliest work carry the name "Antonio Rodríguez." He was a prolific and an exceptional sculptor during his short career. In 1897 his father, a first infantry sergeant, was relocated to Cuba, while his mother, his two sisters moved to Barcelona where he continued his apprenticeship at the studio of the sculptor Feliu Ferrer i Galzeran. After being awarded a scholarship in 1907, he moved to Madrid to study at Miquel Blay's studio. He began his career drawing urban landscapes and nudes, which he presented at his first exhibition in Tarragona in 1908, most of which are now lost. He went from drawing to sculpturing. Another scholarship, gave him three months traveling through Italy with his mother, visiting Rome, Florence and Naples. "Busts of the Race" was a series of sculptures he created to show the many faces of local village people. His best-known piece is a monument for those who defended Tarragona during the Peninsular War, "Monument to the Heroes of Tarragona," which was started in 1910 and finished just prior to his death. It was dedicated in 1931. Among his most memorable creations are "Flores Malsanas," "Monumento a los Héroes Desnudos," "Monumento a Goya," "Monumento a Chapí," "Minero de Puertollano," "Ventero de Peñaltordo," "Pastor de la Sierra" and "Monumento a Eduardo Saavedra." In 1968, the Museum of Modern Art in Tarragona was bequeathed a large part of his work. In November of 2018, in preparation for the 100th anniversary of his death, his remains and those of his mother were exhumed from the Cementerio de la Almudena in Madrid, and relocated to the cemetery in Mora de Ebre, his birthplace. He died from the complications of tuberculosis at the Villa Luz sanatorium in Madrid. His death was covered well in the newspapers.

Bio by: Linda Davis