Armando José Isabel García-Menocal y García-Menocal (1863 – 1942), commonly known as Armando Menocal, was a

Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...

n painter and educator.

Biography and career

Menocal was born on July 8, 1863 in Havana, Captaincy General of Cuba, Spanish Empire (now Cuba). He first studied at the

Academia Nacional de Bellas Artes San Alejandro Academia Nacional de Bellas Artes San Alejandro, is the oldest and most prestigious fine arts school in Cuba. It is also known as Escuela Nacional de Bellas Artes "San Alejandro", Academia San Alejandro, or San Alejandro Academy. The school is lo ...

in his native city, under Miguel Melero. In 1880 he went to

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

for further study with

Francisco Jover y Casanova Francisco Jover y Casanova (1836, Muro de Alcoy - 19 February 1890, Madrid) was a Spanish painter of historical scenes and portraits. Biography After beginning his artistic studies in his hometown, he attended the Real Academia de Bellas Arte ...

. In Spain he also became acquainted with the work of Joaquín Sorolla and the thinking of Marcelino Menéndez y Pelayo. He also exhibited in Spain, winning numerous awards. Menocal later returned to Cuba to join the Liberation Forces in the

Cuban War of Independence The Cuban War of Independence (), fought from 1895 to 1898, was the last of three liberation wars that Cuba fought against Spain, the other two being the Ten Years' War (1868–1878) and the Little War (1879–1880). The final three months ...

; upon its completion, he dedicated himself to the teaching of art, returning to his alma mater as a professor of landscape painting. In 1927 he was named director; in 1940 he became director

emeritus ''Emeritus'' (; female: ''emerita'') is an adjective used to designate a retired chair, professor, pastor, bishop, pope, director, president, prime minister, rabbi, emperor, or other person who has been "permitted to retain as an honorary title ...

. One of his notable students was Pastor Argudín Pedroso. His paintings decorated many public buildings around Havana, and today may be seen in the

Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes de La Habana The National Museum of Fine Arts of Havana (Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes de La Habana) in Havana, Cuba is a museum of fine arts that exhibits Cuban art collections from the colonial times up to contemporary generations. History It was founded ...

. He was also a member of Cuba's National Academy of Arts and Letters. He died on September 28, 1942 in Havana.

References

Biography
at Cernuda Arte 1863 births 1942 deaths Artists from Havana 19th-century Cuban painters 19th-century male artists 20th-century Cuban painters 20th-century Cuban male artists Cuban male painters People from Spanish Cuba {{Cuba-painter-stub