Celeste Woss y Gil was a painter from the Dominican Republic

Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...

. She was known for her paintings of nude women, which shocked the bourgeoisie

Bourgeoisie

In sociology and political science, bourgeoisie describes a range of groups across history. In the Western world, between the late 18th century and the present day, the bourgeoisie is a social class "characterized by their ownership of capital and their related culture." A member of the...

 of Santo Domingo

Santo Domingo

Santo Domingo, known officially as Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city in the Dominican Republic. Its metropolitan population was 2,084,852 in 2003, and estimated at 3,294,385 in 2010. The city is located on the Caribbean Sea, at the mouth of the Ozama River...

 when they were first exhibited. Stylistically, her work owes something to the paintings of Paul Gauguin

Paul Gauguin

Eugène Henri Paul Gauguin was a leading French Post-Impressionist artist. He was an important figure in the Symbolist movement as a painter, sculptor, print-maker, ceramist, and writer...

. A native of Santo Domingo, she was the daughter of Alejandro Woss y Gil

Alejandro Woss y Gil

Alejandro Woss y Gil was a Dominican politician and military figure. He was born in El Seibo on May 5, 1856. His parents were Carlos Woss and María Linares. At young age he was sent Santiago de los Caballeros to live with his uncle Gen...

, who served for a time as president of the Dominican Republic. She studied at the Art Students League prior to her return to the Dominican Republic, where she spent the majority of her career. She died in Santo Domingo in 1985.