Biography
José Antonio Velásquez (1906–1983) was a self-taught Honduran painter, considered a pioneer of primitivism in Latin America. Born on February 8, 1906, in Caridad, in the Valle department, he settled in 1930 in San Antonio de Oriente, a picturesque village that would become the core of his artistic production. Without formal academic training, Velásquez developed a distinctive naïve style, characterized by scenes of rural Honduran life, rolling landscapes, cobbled streets, and colonial churches, all rendered with remarkable detail and vibrant colors.
His works, such as View from the House, San Antonio de Oriente (1962), capture the essence of Honduran culture with a unique perspective. He was discovered in 1943 by Wilson Popenoe, director of the El Zamorano agricultural school, and gained international recognition soon after. In 1951, he participated in the First Ibero-American Art Biennial in Madrid, and in 1954 he exhibited at the Pan American Union in Washington, D.C., a major milestone in his career.
Velásquez's paintings were later shown in countries such as Spain, France, Italy, Switzerland, China, and Japan. In 1972, the Organization of American States dedicated a documentary to him titled The World of a Primitive Painter, narrated by Shirley Temple. In 1955, he received the Pablo Zelaya Sierra National Art Prize and the José Cecilio del Valle Medal. He passed away on February 14, 1983, in Tegucigalpa, leaving behind an invaluable artistic legacy that continues to inspire and represent Honduran cultural identity.
Nationality