Art is the Solution

The island of Puerto Rico has a long and vibrant artistic tradition. Western, Indigenous, and African cultures have all left their mark on Puerto Rican art, creating a colorful and unique visual legacy. While Puerto Rican artists have demonstrated their excellence throughout the years— from the creators of the captivating Taino petroglyphs to the sophisticated and subtle works of the Modernist painters—Puerto Rican art has received little attention from art historians and the wider art world. Here are five underappreciated Puerto Rican artists that you should know: 1. José Campeche José Campeche is often known as the first Puerto Rican painter in the Western history of fine arts. He was primarily known for his religious paintings and his portraits of elite Puerto Ricans, and today his work is recognized as some of the finest examples of Rococo art produced in the Americas. Campeche’s personal story is also inspiring. The son of a slave who had purchased his own freedom, Campech...

The Daughters of Governor Ramón de Castro Source: Google Cultural Institute Yesterday, I mentioned the work of José Campeche in my post about Francisco Oller’s Still Life With Plantains and Bananas . I briefly discussed his work in that post, but I wanted to talk about in more detail. So, today, we’re going to be looking at Campeche’s painting, The Daughters of Governor Ramón de Castro . As the title suggests, the painting is a portrait of the two daughters of Ramón de Castro, who was the governor of Puerto Rico at that time. Campeche is an interesting figure in art history. He was the first Puerto Rican artist to be recognized by art historians and he is widely recognized to be one of the most significant and famous artists from the island. Campeche was the son of a freed slave, who was also a restorer and painter of religious statues. He received formal artistic training from a former Spanish court painter, and later became a popular portrait artist among elite Puerto Ricans....