Ricardo Martínez de Hoyos
Encyclopedia
Ricardo Martínez de Hoyos (28 October 1918 – 11 January 2009) was a Mexican
painter. He was born to a large family in Mexico City
comprising 16 siblings, with five of them who would pursue a career in fields related to the fine arts: Oliverio, an architect who greatly contributed to Ricardo's education; Jorge
, an actor; Enrico and Homero, both of them architects; and Ricardo. Between his nine and fourteen years of age, Ricardo Martínez de Hoyos lived in San Antonio, Texas
, during the first years of the Great Depression
. When his family moved back to Mexico, he faced difficulties at speaking Spanish; however, his knowledge of the English language allowed him to read the works of English language writers such as Jane Austen
, the Brontë
sisters, Charles Dickens
, Herman Melville
, William Faulkner
, John Dos Passos
and Walt Whitman
, among others. From a very young age he had to earn an income by painting to help his family. His knowledge in painting was selftaught. He learned from research books, from which Max Doerner
's The materials of the artist stands out. His English language edition of 1934 of that book revealed him the secrets of the technique. Ricardo Martínez de Hoyos had the support of Federico Cantú, a neighbor to the place where Martínez used to work, who took him to Inés Amor's Gallery of Mexican Art
, where he was allowed to sell his paintings and learn techniques by 1940. He studied Law and got married to Zarina Lacy.
His first works were still life
paintings, followed by non-narrative monumental figures related to Pre-Colombine sculpture. He had his first art exhibit in Guadalajara
, Jalisco
, in 1942. His works were among the "Master Works of Mexican Art" exhibit sent to several European countries and the United States between 1961 and 1963. At the end of the 1960s decade Martínez created irreal atmospheres in his works by using light and shadow. In 1971, he received the Moinho Santista Award at the São Paulo Art Biennial
. Among his most important art exhibits stand out the ones displayed at the Museum of Modern Art in Mexico City in 1969 and 1974, and at the Museum of the Palace of Fine Arts
in Mexico City in 1984 and 1994. He died in January 2009 in Mexico City
, Mexico
.
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
painter. He was born to a large family in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
comprising 16 siblings, with five of them who would pursue a career in fields related to the fine arts: Oliverio, an architect who greatly contributed to Ricardo's education; Jorge
Jorge Martínez de Hoyos
Jorge Martínez de Hoyos was a Mexican actor. He died from lung cancer on May 6, 1997.-Selected filmography:* The Hidden One * Beyond All Limits * The Magnificent Seven...
, an actor; Enrico and Homero, both of them architects; and Ricardo. Between his nine and fourteen years of age, Ricardo Martínez de Hoyos lived in San Antonio, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, during the first years of the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. When his family moved back to Mexico, he faced difficulties at speaking Spanish; however, his knowledge of the English language allowed him to read the works of English language writers such as Jane Austen
Jane Austen
Jane Austen was an English novelist whose works of romantic fiction, set among the landed gentry, earned her a place as one of the most widely read writers in English literature, her realism and biting social commentary cementing her historical importance among scholars and critics.Austen lived...
, the Brontë
Brontë
The Brontës were a nineteenth-century literary family associated with Haworth in the West Riding of Yorkshire, England. The sisters, Charlotte , Emily , and Anne , are well-known as poets and novelists...
sisters, Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic...
, Herman Melville
Herman Melville
Herman Melville was an American novelist, short story writer, essayist, and poet. He is best known for his novel Moby-Dick and the posthumous novella Billy Budd....
, William Faulkner
William Faulkner
William Cuthbert Faulkner was an American writer from Oxford, Mississippi. Faulkner worked in a variety of media; he wrote novels, short stories, a play, poetry, essays and screenplays during his career...
, John Dos Passos
John Dos Passos
John Roderigo Dos Passos was an American novelist and artist.-Early life:Born in Chicago, Illinois, Dos Passos was the illegitimate son of John Randolph Dos Passos , a distinguished lawyer of Madeiran Portuguese descent, and Lucy Addison Sprigg Madison of Petersburg, Virginia. The elder Dos Passos...
and Walt Whitman
Walt Whitman
Walter "Walt" Whitman was an American poet, essayist and journalist. A humanist, he was a part of the transition between transcendentalism and realism, incorporating both views in his works. Whitman is among the most influential poets in the American canon, often called the father of free verse...
, among others. From a very young age he had to earn an income by painting to help his family. His knowledge in painting was selftaught. He learned from research books, from which Max Doerner
Max Doerner
Max Doerner was a rugby league footballer in the New South Wales Rugby League competition.Doerner played with Eastern Suburbs in the 1917 season.-References:*The Eastern Suburbs website...
's The materials of the artist stands out. His English language edition of 1934 of that book revealed him the secrets of the technique. Ricardo Martínez de Hoyos had the support of Federico Cantú, a neighbor to the place where Martínez used to work, who took him to Inés Amor's Gallery of Mexican Art
Mexican art
Mexican art consists of the various visual and plastic arts which developed over the geographical area now known as Mexico. The development of these arts roughly follow the history of Mexico, divided into the Mesoamerican era, the colonial period, with the period after the gaining of Independence...
, where he was allowed to sell his paintings and learn techniques by 1940. He studied Law and got married to Zarina Lacy.
His first works were still life
Still life
A still life is a work of art depicting mostly inanimate subject matter, typically commonplace objects which may be either natural or man-made...
paintings, followed by non-narrative monumental figures related to Pre-Colombine sculpture. He had his first art exhibit in Guadalajara
Guadalajara
Guadalajara may refer to:In Mexico:*Guadalajara, Jalisco, the capital of the state of Jalisco and second largest city in Mexico**Guadalajara Metropolitan Area*University of Guadalajara, a public university in Guadalajara, Jalisco...
, Jalisco
Jalisco
Jalisco officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Jalisco is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in Western Mexico and divided in 125 municipalities and its capital city is Guadalajara.It is one of the more important states...
, in 1942. His works were among the "Master Works of Mexican Art" exhibit sent to several European countries and the United States between 1961 and 1963. At the end of the 1960s decade Martínez created irreal atmospheres in his works by using light and shadow. In 1971, he received the Moinho Santista Award at the São Paulo Art Biennial
São Paulo Art Biennial
The São Paulo Art Biennial was founded in 1951 and has been held every two years since. It is the second oldest art biennial in the world after the Venice Biennial , which serves as its role model....
. Among his most important art exhibits stand out the ones displayed at the Museum of Modern Art in Mexico City in 1969 and 1974, and at the Museum of the Palace of Fine Arts
Palacio de Bellas Artes
The Palacio de Bellas Artes is the most important cultural center in Mexico City as well as the rest of the country of Mexico...
in Mexico City in 1984 and 1994. He died in January 2009 in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
.