José Campeche y Jordán (December 23, 1751 – November 7, 1809), is the first known Puerto Ricanvisual artist and considered by art critics as one of the best rococo artists in the Americas. Campeche y Jordán loved to use colors that referenced the landscape of Puerto Rico, as well as the social and political crème de la crème of colonial Puerto Rico.[1][2]
Early life
Campeche was born in San Juan, colonial Puerto Rico. His parents were Tomás Campeche (1701–1780) and María Jordán y Marqués. His father was a freed slave born in Puerto Rico and his mother was a native of the Canary Islands so he was considered to be mulato.[3] His father was a gilder[4] who restored and painted religious statues, and had an influence on the young Campeche's interest in the arts. Campeche was trained by Luis Paret y Alcázar, a Spanish court painter banished from Spain.[2][5][6]
Paintings
Campeche distinguished himself with his paintings related to religious themes and of governors and other important figures. His most famous paintings and his best known portraits are of:[2][5][6]
Not only did the Puerto Rican society of the time appreciate Campeche's personal and artistic merits but he is now considered to be amongst the most gifted rococo artists in the Americas. His works of art can be found in museums, churches and chapels, such as Capilla del Cristo in San Juan, and in private collections in Puerto Rico and Venezuela. Campeche died in the city of San Juan on November 7, 1809.[5][6]
High-resolution images of works of art from Puerto Rico's museums are being digitized and made available online with the help of the institute, Google Arts & Culture, Lin Manuel Miranda and other stakeholders. 350 such works were available online by November 7, 2019, including many works by José Campeche.[8][9][10][11]
Commemorations
There is a "José Campeche room" in the former Dominican Convent in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, where some of his works can be seen.[12] The building is currently being renovated and will be reinaugurated as the National Gallery of Puerto Rico[citation needed].
Puerto Rico has various schools and avenues named after Campeche to honor his memory. The José Campeche High School is located in San Lorenzo.[13][14]
^Tatum, Charles M. (2014). Encyclopedia of Latino Culture: From Calaveras to Quinceañeras. Santa Barbara, CA: Greenwood. p. 120. ISBN978-1-440-80099-3. OCLC882253127. 882253127
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