In this ArtHearty article, you will find the life and work of some of the most famous Hispanic painters, described in brief, followed by a list of Hispanic artists.
Miguel Cabrera was a painter from the Viceroyalty of New Spain, which is in today’s Mexico. He was regarded as the greatest painter in New Spain. His casta paintings were considered as the best ones of the genre. He shares his name with a Venezuelan baseball player.
The terms ‘Hispanic’ and ‘Latino’ are associated with Spanish-speaking people. An individual whose first language is Spanish, can be referred to as a Hispanic. This article has compiled a list of famous Hispanic painters who have made a notable contribution to art. Some of them have led various art movements in history, while some others have pioneered the development of certain styles of art. Their paintings mesmerize people around the world and their work inspires millions.
El Greco
Born in Crete, he was a painter, sculptor and an architect. He belonged to the Spanish Renaissance. He received his initial training as a painter in Cretan School where he showed outstanding skills in painting. He began to practice as a painter at the age of 22 in the year 1563. He preferred to draw tall and slender figures. He painted with intuition and imagination and brought life to his pictures by depicting emotions.
Francisco Zurbaran
He was born at Fuente de Cantos in Extremadura, on November 7, 1598. As a child he used to imitate objects with charcoal. His compositions mostly contained single figures and the color tone was often bluish. At about the age of 32, he was appointed painter to Philip IV. He painted the great altarpiece of St. Thomas Aquinas in 1627 which is now kept in the Seville museum. His painting depicting a life-sized figure of a kneeling Franciscan holding a skull represents the fineness of his work. He passed away in 1664. He is still remembered for his religious paintings and his still-life pictures.
Diego Velazquez
He was one of the greatest painters who belonged to the 16th century. He was born in Seville, Spain on 6th of June, 1599. He was gifted with skills in art and hence started undergoing training under a famous painter, Francisco de Herrera. He was a prominent artist in the court of King Philip IV. His paintings covered subjects like mythology, religion, and common man’s life. Velazquez was referred to as the “noblest and most commanding man among the artists of his country”. He died on August 6, 1660. Many of Spain’s well-known artists have recreated his works as a tribute to this legend.
Pablo Picasso
Apart from being a painter, he was also a sculptor and draftsman. He is one of the eminent personalities of the twentieth century art world. His mother had said that his first words as a kid were “piz piz”, which is an abbreviation of the word ‘pencil’ in Spanish. His flair for drawing was seen since childhood. His father trained him in oil painting and figure drawing. His works of art have been divided into periods. Works painted in shades of blue characterize Picasso’s Blue period. Blindness was the theme of many of his paintings of this period. The Rose period that lasted for two years consisted of works painted in cheerful colors. The African Influence Period lasted from 1907 to 1909. Monochrome brownish and neutral colors characterized his paintings of the Cubism period. He died on April 8, 1973 at the age of 91. His paintings, ‘Dora Maar au Chat’ and ‘Nude in a Black Armchair’ rank in the list of the most expensive paintings in the world.
Joan Miro
He was an ethnic Catalan born in 1893. He was a painter, sculptor and ceramicist. Attracted by the arts community, he moved to Paris in 1920. There he developed a style of his own. It was known as ‘organic forms and flattened picture planes drawn with a sharp line’. He pioneered the development of automatic drawing, marking the beginning of Surrealism. He died in 1983. He is one of the internationally acclaimed artists.
Other Famous Latino Painters
The U.S. Government defines Hispanic or Latino people as those who trace their origin or descent to Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Central and South America, and other Spanish cultures. The term ‘Hispanic’ refers to the ethnic group of people who share country heritage and speak the Spanish language. People with a historical or cultural link to Spain can be called Hispanics, irrespective of their ethnicity or race. Here is a list of famous artists in this category.
| Alberto Lucis Abstract Expressionist Painter |
Alejandro Mario Yllanes Latin American painter and printmaker |
| Andrés Curruchich Latin American painter |
Aníbal López Latin American figurative artist |
| Antoni Tàpies Spanish painter, sculptor and art theorist |
Bartolomé Esteban Murillo Spanish Baroque painter |
| Basilio Santa Cruz Pumacallao Latin American artist |
Camilo Egas Ecuadorian master painter and teacher |
| Carlos Jacanamijoy Colombian painter |
Carlos Mérida Latin American painter |
| Chafil Cheucarama Latin American artist and illustrator |
David Alfaro Siqueiros Mexican artist |
| Diego Rivera Mexican painter |
Diego Quispe Tito Latin American artist |
| Fernando Botero Colombian painter and sculptor |
Francisco de Zurbarán Spanish painter |
| Francisco Goya Spanish romantic painter and printmaker |
Francisco Toledo Mexican painter, sculptor, and graphic artist |
| Frida Kahlo Mexican painter |
Guaman Poma Latin American artist (illustrator) |
| Jesús Guerrero Galván Mexican artist |
Santos Chavez Latin American painter |
| José Clemente Orozco Mexican painter and muralist |
Juan Gris Spanish painter and sculptor |
| Jusepe de Ribera Spanish Tenebrist painter and printmaker |
Luis Rolando Ixquiac Xicara Latin American artist |
| Marcos Zapata Latin American painter |
Mario Urteaga Alvarado Latin American painter |
| Miguel Cabrera Latin American painter |
Miguel Covarrubias Mexican painter, illustrator, and art historian |
| Oswald Hussein Latin American artist (known for wooden sculptures) |
Oswaldo Guayasamín Ecuadorian master painter and sculptor |
| Roberto Mamani Mamani Latin American artist |
Rodolfo Morales Mexican painter |
| Rufino Tamayo Mexican painter |
Salvador Dalí Spanish surrealist painter |
These were some of the very famous Hispanic painters and some prominent names in Spanish art. They continue to live through their work.
