Pastor Argudín Pedroso (1880 – 1968), also known as Pastor Argudín Y Pedroso, was an Afro–Cuban portrait and genre painter, and teacher. He was internationally exhibited and was awarded the Order of Carlos Manuel de Céspedes by the Republic of Cuba, for his artistic merit.

Biography

Pastor Argudín Pedroso was born on April 9, 1880 in Havana, Captaincy General of Cuba, Spanish Empire (now Cuba). Some citations state his birth year is 1889. His Black parents had been enslaved in Havana; his father Argudín Lombillo was enslaved by the Casa de Lombillo in

Habana Vieja Old Havana ( es, link=no, La Habana Vieja) is the city-center (downtown) and one of the 15 municipalities (or boroughs) forming Havana, Cuba. It has the second highest population density in the city and contains the core of the original city of ...

, and his mother Maria de Jesus Pedroso had been enslaved by the Casa de Pedroso. Argudín Pedroso attended one of Salvador José Zapata's elementary schools in Havana. At a young age he studied art under Spanish painter and decorative artist, Francisco Piera. He was promoted for his natural skills, and worked on painting the ceiling of the La Merced Church. He attended college 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 Havana. He studied at the Academy under

Leopoldo Romañach Leopoldo Romañach y Guillen (1862–1951) was a Cuban painter. He was born in Sierra Morena, Cuba, Sierra Morena, Corralillo, in the province of Las Villas Province, Las Villas. Romañach was a professor of color theory at San Alejandro, won a n ...

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, Luis Mendoza Sandrino, and Miguel Melero Rodriguez. This was followed by a 1912 scholarship to study in Madrid, Spain at the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando, where he conferred a bachelor's degree. In Spain, he studied under José Moreno Carbonero, Miguel Blay, Cecilio Plá, and

Gonzalo Bilbao Gonzalo Bilbao Martínez (27 May 1860 – 4 December 1938) was a Spanish costumbrista painter and art professor. Biography He was born in Seville, the son of a well-to-do lawyer and the older brother of the sculptor, Joaquín Bilbao. With ...

. Argudín Pedroso lived and worked in France, Italy, and the United States during the 1920s and 1930s. He continued his studies at Accademia di Belle Arti di Roma in Rome; followed by study at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière in Paris under Émile-René Ménard. Argudín Pedroso was a guest of Arturo Alfonso Schomburg, and lived at his house in Brooklyn, New York for almost one year in the 1930s. Argudín Pedroso is said to have painted some 300 portraits by 1937, many of which were notable people. Some of his portrait subjects included

Rafael María de Labra Rafael María de Labra y Cadrana ( September 7, 1840 – April 16, 1918) was a Spanish krausism, krausist educator, activist, lawyer, lecturer, Republicanism in Spain, Republican politician and author. He served two times as Rector of the Instit ...

, Cayetano Quesada (Cuban consul in New York City), Arturo Alfonso Schomburg, John La Farge, Rev.

John LaFarge Jr. John LaFarge Jr. (February 13, 1880 – November 24, 1963) was an American Jesuit Catholic priest known for his activism against racism and anti-semitism. Involved in the heyday (and eventual breakup) of Thomas Wyatt Turner's Federated Color ...

, and Abraham Lincoln, among others. Argudin exhibited at the

Société des Artistes Indépendants The Société des Artistes Indépendants (''Society of Independent Artists'') or Salon des Indépendants was formed in Paris on 29 July 1884. The association began with the organization of massive exhibitions in Paris, choosing the slogan "''sans ...

in Paris, starting around 1924; and he was part of the noted group exhibition, "1933 Exhibition of the Work of Negro Artists", hosted by the Harmon Foundation at the Art Centre in New York City.

Exhibitions

* 1915, National Exhibition of Fine Arts, Madrid, Spain; with painting, "Shepard With Flock of Sheep" * 1917, National Exhibition of Fine Arts, Madrid, Spain; awarded honorable mention with painting of Antonia la Castiza * 1919, Galerie des Elyesses, Paris, France * 1924, Exposition d'Art Américain-Latin, Cuba,

* 1925, "Three Latin-American Canvasses", Musée Galliera (now Palais Galliera), Paris, France * 1929, Cuba building murals at Ibero-American Exposition of 1929, Seville, Spain * 1933, "1933 Exhibition of the Work of Negro Artists", Harmon Foundation, Art Center, New York City, New York, United States * 1935, "Pastor Argudin y Pedroso", solo exhibition,

New York Public Library The New York Public Library (NYPL) is a public library system in New York City. With nearly 53 million items and 92 locations, the New York Public Library is the second largest public library in the United States (behind the Library of Congress ...

at the 135th St. Branch, Harlem, New York City, New York, United States * 1935, "Pastor Argudin y Pedroso", solo exhibition, Harmon Foundation headquarters, New York City, New York, United States * 1938, Harmon Foundation, Kenosha Historical and Art, Kenosha, Wisconsin, United States

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Argudín Pedroso, Pastor 1880 births 1968 deaths 20th-century Cuban painters Academia Nacional de Bellas Artes San Alejandro alumni Artists from Havana Cuban male painters People of Afro–Cuban descent Portrait painters Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando alumni

Biography

Exhibitions

See also

References