Son Boter, a typical rural Mallorcan house dating back to the 18th century, is the oldest of the Fundació’s buildings. It became Joan Miró’s second Mallorcan studio, purchased by the artist in 1959 with the prize money of the Guggenheim International Award, given to him for the creation of the Mur du soleil and Mur de la lune for the Paris UNESCO building.
Thanks to this area next to his Son Abrines home, Miró had further space to work and to create and store large works of art, while also gaining extra privacy. As Miró remarked in a letter to his friend, architect Josep Lluís Sert: “I have just bought Son Boter, the magnificent house behind ours. As well as being a good investment, it provides shelter from bothersome neighbours”.
Miró placed his own personal hallmark on the house through the highly original charcoal sketches he made on its walls in the style of graffiti, transforming it into a work of art in itself. The sketches are figures and personnages associated with his sculptures. Just as he had done with the Sert Studio, Miró gradually created the right atmosphere for his work through postcards, drawings and objects of widely differing origins.
Although it was originally intended as a sculpture studio, Son Boter became his second painting studio and also a refuge. Years later, the house would also contain engraving and lithography studios so that Miró could make prints without having to go elsewhere. These studios are still used by artists for creative purposes and for making editions of prints. As legacies, they play a key role in ensuring that the Fundació continues to be a dynamic active centre.
