Alfredo Serrano Lara (Salamanca, Guanajuato 1916 - Querétaro, 1989) moved to the capital in 1936 and entered the former Academia de San Carlos (Academy of Fine Arts of San Carlos), where he studied under the guidance of Manuel Rodríguez Lozano. He had his first solo show in 1937, and in 1942 he had another one at Galería Arte y Decoración (Arts and Decorations Gallery) before participating in the 1945 Salón de Pintura exhibition. He joined the Salón de la Plástica Mexicana (Salon of Mexican Fine Art) in the 1950s, and exhibited work in the 1958 group show of the newly located Galería Kamffer (Kamffer Gallery). In 1959 he participated in the First National Painting Salon at the Museo Nacional de Arte Moderno (National Museum of Modern Art). Between 1973 and 1977, he established and directed the first cultural centers in Querétaro and San Juan del Río. He later oversaw the restoration of the historic Casa de Ecala (House of Ecala) in order to establish the first headquarters of the Casa de Cultura de Querétaro (Querétaro's House of Culture).

Adolfo Best Maugard (Mexico City, 1891 - Athens, 1964) was a prominent artist who developed his practice in cinematography, design, choreography, writing, and primarily, painting, as well as a passionate promoter of national culture. He’s especially known for integrating his Drawing Method into the Mexican primary education pedagogical model and the Escuelas de Pintura al Aire Libre (Outdoor Painting Schools), which merged decorative elements from Mexican crafts with European avant-garde movements such as Cubism and Futurism. He also worked at the Secretaría de Educación Pública (Ministry of Public Education) between 1921 and 1924, where he served as head of the Department of Arts Education. His legacy was crucial in influencing the development of artistic teaching methods in post-revolutionary Mexico.

Angelina Petrovna Belova (Saint Petersburg, Russia, 1879 - Mexico City, 1969) had her first professional inclination studying medicine at the Women’s Study Courses, before undertaking artistic training at a painting academy, where she attended classes in the evenings. Motivated by her teachers, she entered the Imperial Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg in 1904, where she stayed until relocating to Paris in 1909 to continue her studies. During this time, she became acquainted with Spanish painter María Blanchard, and worked with Henri Matisse and Hermenegildo Anglada Camarasa. 

During a trip to Belgium, she met Diego Rivera, whom she married and in 1917 gave birth to their son, Miguel Ángel Diego, who died at fourteen months old. The couple separated years later, and Beloff remained in Paris until 1932, when politician Bernardo Reyes and painter Germán Cueto invited her to move to Mexico. Her first job was as a drawing and engraving teacher in schools and workshops of the Secretaría de Educación Pública (Ministry of Public Education) and the Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes (National Institute of Fine Arts). She was a member of the Liga de Escritores y Artistas Revolucionarios (League of Revolutionary Artists and Writers) and a founding member of the Sociedad Mexicana de Grabadores (Mexican Society of Engravers). 

She ventured into painting, graphic arts, drawing, and puppet design. Her work shows the European style she acquired during her years of training, while also reflecting Mexican colors and imagery.

Antonio Trejo Osorio (Ixmiquilpan, Hidalgo, 1922 - 1986) was a painter born into a semi-rural family. He studied at the Academia de San Carlos (San Carlos Academy of Fine Arts), where he was taught by artists such as José Chávez Morado and Alfredo Zalce. Between 1943 and 1947, he pursued his artistic studies at the Escuela Nacional de Artes Plásticas (National School of Fine Arts). In 1949, he exhibited his work at the 2nd Annual Painting and Sculpture Salon organized by the Sociedad para el Impulso de las Artes Plásticas (Society for the Promotion of Fine Arts) at the Galería de Arte Moderno (Gallery of Modern Art), owned by Francisco Rodríguez Caracalla. 

En 1952, he participated in the exhibition of paintings and engravings organized by the Frente Nacional de Artes Plásticas (National Front of Fine Arts). Later, he moved to Michoacán, where he taught at the Escuela de Bellas Artes (School of Fine Arts) in Morelia.

María del Carmen Mondragón Valseca (Mexico City, 1893 - 1978), known as “Nahui Olin”, was a multifaceted 20th-century Mexican artist, celebrated painter, poet, model, and musician. She was born into a Porfirian bourgeois family and later lived in Paris, where she studied dance and literature. Upon returning to Mexico, she married Manuel Rodríguez Lozano. The couple returned to Paris, then an artistic and intellectual hub, but sought refuge in San Sebastián, Spain, during World War I. The marriage ended in 1922, and she later was involved in a romantic relationship with artist Dr. Atl, who gave her the name “Nahui Olin”, meaning "perpetual movement" in Nahuatl. 

She participated in significant exhibitions, including one at the Palacio de Bellas Artes (Palace of Fine Arts) in 1945. While some critics view her work as naïve, her creative freedom allowed her to explore various genres, such as portraiture, urban landscapes, eroticism, caricature, and printmaking. Her art reflects her fight for freedom, defiance of societal norms, feminist advocacy, and sensitivity to personal and social transformation, leaving a legacy of artistic and cultural impact.

Daniel del Valle (Mexico City, 1867 - 1935) enrolled in the Academia de San Carlos (San Carlos Academy of Fine Arts) in 1884, where he studied for 11 years. In 1902, following the death of Santiago Rebull, he joined the faculty at the Academia de San Carlos as an instructor. His work has recently been the subject of in-depth study, most notably by Adriana del Valle Lehne.

Diego Rivera (Guanajuato, 1886 - Mexico City, 1957) was a renowned painter and a leading figure of Mexican muralism. He began his studies at the Escuela Nacional de Bellas Artes (National School of Fine Arts) in 1892, where he trained under Antonio Fabrés and José María Velasco. A scholarship from the governor of Veracruz enabled him to travel to Spain, and in 1909 he continued to Paris, London, and Brussels, where he met Angelina Beloff, whom he later married. The following year, Rivera returned to Mexico and participated in an exhibition commemorating the centennial of Independence.

Later, he returned to Europe, where exposure to avant-garde movements helped him develop a unique cubist style. In 1916, he exhibited in New York alongside Cézanne, Van Gogh, and Picasso. Back in Mexico, Rivera turned to mural painting, beginning with The Creation in 1922 at the Escuela Nacional Preparatoria (National Preparatory School). In 1924, he co-founded the newspaper El Machete and became involved in leftist movements. In 1927, he traveled to Moscow and later co-organized the Sindicato Revolucionario de Obreros Técnicos (Revolutionary Union of Technical Workers) with David Alfaro Siqueiros, and married Frida Kahlo in 1929.

Throughout his career, he painted murals in Mexico and the United States, including his prominent work at the Rockefeller Center in New York. In 1955, he donated the Museo Anahuacalli (Anahuacalli Museum) to Mexico and continued his muralist work until his death in 1957.

Francisco de la Torre (San Miguel el Alto, Jalisco, 1885 – ca. 1930) began his studies at the Escuela Nacional de Bellas Artes (National School of Fine Arts) in 1903, where he graduated in 1909. In 1912, he joined the school as a professor. Little is known about his life, and only three of his works have been currently identified: one found in the Museo Nacional de Arte (National Museum of Art) and two works that are part of the Juan Rafael Coronel Rivera´s collection.

Francisco Dosamantes (Mexico City, 1911 – 1986) began his artistic training at the former Academia de San Carlos, where he was closely associated with professors from the Escuela Mexicana de Pintura (Mexican School of Painting), many of whom were part of the muralist movement. He specialized in printmaking, and his work with the cultural initiatives of the Secretaría de Educación Pública  (Ministry of Public Education) took him to various states in Mexico, where his art became deeply rooted in depicting rural scenes and historically marginalized groups. 

His political activity and social commitment led him to join the avant-garde group “30-30,” which sought a non-academic artform and created a synthesis between the muralist movement and the stridentism movement. His works were presented in venues such as the Galería de Arte Mexicano (Mexican Art Gallery) and the Galería de Arte Moderno (Modern Art Gallery). His artwork has been exhibited in parts of Europe, the United States, and Mexico.

Gustavo Montoya (Ciudad de México, 1905 – 2003) began his studies at the age of 13 at the Academia de San Carlos (San Carlos Academy of Fine Arts). Although he learned technical skills under the guidance of masters like Germán Gedovius and Roberto Montenegro, he considered himself largely self-taught, believing that true art resided in the spirit. In 1929, Montoya traveled to Los Angeles, where he worked as a poster illustrator and was briefly married to Luz Saavedra before returning to Mexico in 1933. Three years later, he became a teacher of color theory at the Escuela Nacional de Artes Plásticas (National School of Fine Arts). 

In 1938, Montoya moved to Paris to study avant-garde art with his second wife, Cordelia Urueta. They traveled across Europe until the outbreak of World War II forced them to relocate to New York in 1939, where he exhibited at Alma Reed's gallery before returning to Mexico in 1942. Montoya became associated with the neorealist movement and resumed his teaching at the Escuela Nacional de Artes Plásticas (National School of Fine Arts) in 1953. He was a founding member of the Liga de Escritores y Artistas Revolucionarios (League of Revolutionary Artists and Writers)  and the Salón de la Plástica Mexicana (Salon of Mexican Fine Art). His work focused on depicting the streets, markets, and inhabitants of Mexico, especially the working class, whom he considered the true essence of the country. After divorcing Cordelia Urueta in 1965, Montoya led a solitary life, distancing himself from artistic circles.

José Muñoz Medina (1927 - unknown) began his artistic career after studying at La Esmeralda (National School of Painting, Sculpture and Printmaking). In the late 1940s, he started participating in school-based collective exhibitions. In 1952, he joined the Frente Nacional de Artes Plásticas (National Front of Fine Arts), becoming part of a group of artists such as Arturo García Bustos, Guillermo Monroy, Arturo Estrada, Oscar Frías, among others. In August 1954, he participated in the collective exhibition  "50 Young Mexican Artists" at the Salón de la Plástica Mexicana (Salon of Mexican Fine Art). From 1958, he began exhibiting in international shows, including the First Inter-American Biennial in that same year.

Amador Lugo (Santa Rosa, Guerrero, 1921 - Mexico City, 2002) began his artistic training from a young age, under the tutelage of Tamiji Kitagawa at the Escuela de Pintura al Aire Libre de Taxco (Outdoor Painting School). In 1942, he joined the engraving workshop at the Escuela Nacional de Artes del Libro (National School of Arts of the Book), where he perfected the technique of metal engraving with Carlos Alvarado Lang. He also graduated as a teacher in Visual Arts from the Escuela Normal Superior (Superior Normal School). Throughout his career, Lugo stood out for his ability to capture the landscapes, customs, and faces of Mexico in various materials such as paper, wood, metal, and stone. While his work tends toward figuration, he also experimented with abstraction. 

He is especially remembered for his landscapes, portraits, and lithographs, where he demonstrated his talent for representing life in both the countryside and the city, as well as for his portraits of women and female nudes that evoke the sensuality of the tropics. His legacy as master of Mexican landscape painting endures due to his versatility and deep capacity for observation.

José Reyes Meza (Tampico, Tamaulipas, 1924 - Mexico City, 2011) moved to Mexico City in 1938 and entered the former Academia de San Carlos (San Carlos Academy of Fine Arts). In 1942, he joined the Museo Nacional de Antropología (National Museum of Anthropology) and founded the Experimental Theater, where he carried out significant scenic work. Later, he became a set designer for the Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes (National Institute of Fine Arts), as well as a founding member of the Salón de la Plástica Mexicana (Salon of Mexican Fine Art). In 1957, he was awarded the first prize by the Art Critics Association for the play "Bloody Weddings." 

His work is part of prestigious public and private collections, including those of the Museo Nacional de Historia (National Museum of History), the Museo de Arte Moderno (Museum of Modern Art), the Instituto Politécnico Nacional (National Polytechnic Institute) and the Secretaría de Hacienda y Crédito Público (Ministry of Finance and Public Credit), among others. He carried out important muralist work, such as the frescoes for the Casino de la Selva in Cuernavaca, Morelos, the murals at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the Autonomous University of Tamaulipas, and the mosaic murals at the Pan-American National Bank in Los Angeles, California. He integrated fine art works in various churches in Mexico City. In recognition of his work, he was honored in 2008 in the city of Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, and the José Reyes Meza Museum was inaugurated.

Juan Francisco Rodríguez Montoya (Guadalajara, Jalisco, 1920 - Mexico City, 2006), better known as Juan Soriano, was self-taught and trained alongside prominent artists and intellectuals such as Lola Álvarez Bravo, Carlos Pellicer, María Izquierdo, Luis Barragán, and Octavio Paz. In 1935, he moved to Mexico City, joined the group Contemporáneos, and studied at the Escuela Nocturna para Trabajadores (Night School for Workers). 

Throughout his career, he ventured into various disciplines, from painting to sculpture and set design. In 1945, his trip to New York deeply influenced him by way of modern painting, and in the 1950s, his experience in Rome led him to experiment with European avant-gardes. He was awarded the José Clemente Orozco painting prize in 1957 and held a retrospective at the Museo del Palacio de Bellas Artes (Palace of Fine Arts Museum). Throughout his career, he received other international honors, such as the National Art Prize, the Velázquez Prize for Fine Arts, and the Universal Excellence Award from the Spanish Ministry of Culture, the rank of Officer of the Legion of Honor from the French government, and the Order of Merit of Poland.

Lauro López (Mexico City, 1930 - Temixco, Morelos, 1996) studied at the Escuela Nacional de Pintura, Escultura y Grabado, La Esmeralda (National School of Painting, Sculpture and Printmaking), before completing a stay in Paris. A large part of his work consists of portraits and still lifes, but because his production often did not align with the avant-garde artistic scene, particularly with the Breakaway Generation, he has been relegated to the category of a marginal artist. However, this did not prevent him from maintaining a particular interest in investigating the issues of color, form, light manipulation, and even the presence of textures in his pieces.

Luis García Guerrero (Guanajuato, 1921 - Mexico City, 1996) moved to Mexico City at an early age, where he began his artistic training at the Academy of San Carlos. He later enrolled in La Esmeralda (National School of Painting, Sculpture and Printmaking), complemented by periods of self-taught study and training at the Painting Techniques Workshop of the Instituto Politécnico Nacional (National Polytechnic Institute).

He is recognized as one of the most prominent painters of Mexican realism, working in genres such as still lifes, landscapes, and nature studies, where he blended academic representation with colors, forms, and atmospheres inspired by Mexican traditions. His work is distinguished by a strong foundation in drawing, influences from Mexican painting, references to European avant-garde movements, and meticulous attention to detail in his still lifes.

In addition to painting, García Guerrero explored illustration, stained glass design, and printmaking. Throughout his career, his work was exhibited in numerous group and solo exhibitions across Mexico, with notable venues including the Museo de Arte Moderno (Museum of Modern Art) in Mexico City and the Galería de Arte Mexicano (Mexican Art Gallery).

Manuel Rodríguez Lozano (Mexico City, 1891 - 1971) was born into an affluent family and entered the Military Academy in 1906. Although he pursued a diplomatic career, his marriage to Carmen Mondragón "Nahui Olin" led him to live in Paris. There, both developed an interest in art, and he developed a self-taught artistic practice.

He traveled through Europe between 1914 and 1921. After returning to Mexico, he worked as a drawing teacher at the SEP (Ministry of Public Education) and met Francisco Sergio Iturbide and Antonieta Rivas Mercado, key figures in his career. In 1940, he was appointed director of the Escuela Nacional de Artes Plásticas (National School of Fine Arts), and in 1941, he was unjustly accused of stealing four engravings from the Academia de San Carlos (San Carlos Academy of Fine Arts) which led to his imprisonment in the Lecumberri Penitentiary. There, he painted the mural La piedad en el desierto (Piety in the Desert), a space used by incarcerated individuals for prayer. After his release in 1942, Lozano began depicting elongated human figures in cold tones, with a focus on the theme of human suffering.

María Izquierdo (San Juan de los Lagos, 1909 - Mexico City, 1955), whose name was María Cenobia Izquierdo Gutiérrez, was one of Mexico's most prominent painters of the 20th century. Her work reflected her experience as a woman, uniquely using space, form, color, and cultural symbolism. After separating from her husband, she moved to Mexico City and studied at the Escuela Nacional de Bellas Artes (National School of Fine Arts) under the mentorship of Germán Gedovius. 

Her first exhibition was in 1929, and shortly after, she showcased her work at the Arts Center in New York. She was the partner and collaborator of Rufino Tamayo, with whom she shared artistic influences in the 1920s and 1930s, particularly in her themes, palette, and formal explorations linked to metaphysical painting and children's art. In 1936, she incorporated elements of surrealism into her work after meeting poet Antonin Artaud. 

From these experiences, it is evident that her work reflects a connection between the avant-garde and popular culture. Additionally, she was a cultural manager, critic, and political activist, facing obstacles within the male-dominated art system, such as when she was prevented from painting murals at the City Hall of Mexico City in 1945. Despite these challenges, her legacy has inspired generations of artists, especially in the areas of gender and social positions.

Rosa Rolanda (Azusa, California, United States, 1895 – Mexico City, 1970) was born Rose Cowan. Her mother, Guadalupe Ruelas, had Mexican ancestry, while her father was an American engineer. From a young age, Rosa excelled in physical education, which led her to study dance. In 1916, she was selected to join the Marion Morgan Dancers group in New York. Later, she participated in the Music Box Revue, a show directed by Irving Berlin that combined music, dance, and design. 

In 1923, she met the painter Adolfo Best Maugard, who introduced her to Miguel Covarrubias, a caricaturist with whom she began a close relationship in 1926. During these years, she became acquainted with artists such as Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo, who encouraged her to pursue painting. In the late 1930s, already married to Covarrubias, Rosa began painting portraits of friends, children, and indigenous women, primarily in gouache, though she also experimented with oil. Her first portrait of actress Dolores del Río was painted in 1938, and she later painted a portrait of María Félix. She considered herself a neo-figurative painter, carving her own path in the art world and leaving an important legacy in the history of Mexican art.

Rosario Cabrera López (Mexico City, 1901 – Progreso, Yucatán, 1975) was a key painter in the Mexican artistic renaissance, mistakenly categorized as naïve but recently recognized as an academic painter. Orphaned at a young age, it was her father who sparked her artistic vocation. 

She was one of the first women to study at the Escuela Nacional de Bellas Artes (National School of Fine Arts). In 1920, she participated in the school's annual exhibition and held her first solo exhibition in 1921. Three years later, she attended the Ex Convento de Churubusco. She later moved to Paris, and upon her return, she became an advocate for the Escuelas de Pintura al Aire Libre (Outdoor Painting Schools), where she also held positions as a teacher and director at the schools in Los Reyes, Coyoacán, and Cholula. After their closure, she focused on teaching in primary schools. 

Despite her withdrawal from art in the early 1930s, her work in portraits and landscapes, such as La nopalera and Casa de Los Reyes, solidified her as an important figure, and she has been recognized as "the first great Mexican painter of the 20th century."

Rosendo Soto (Guadalajara, Jalisco, 1912 – Mexico City, 1994) belonged to the second generation of the Mexican School of Painting, also known as the Mexicanist movement. In 1927, he began his studies at the Escuela Libre de Escultura y Talla Directa (Free School of Sculpture and Carving), directed by Guillermo Ruíz, and later attended the Escuela Central de Artes Plásticas (Central School of Fine Arts) from 1928 to 1931, where he was taught by Carlos Mérida, Rufino Tamayo, and Diego Rivera. 

In 1932, he enlisted in cultural missions and traveled through the states of Coahuila, Nayarit, Guerrero, Querétaro, and Mexico, leaving behind some mural works as a testimony from this chapter. In 1933, he joined the Liga de Escritores y Artistas Revolucionarios (League of Revolutionary Writers and Artists). In 1949, he founded the Taller de Integración Plástica (Workshop for Art Integration) of the INBAL (National Institute of Fine Arts and Letters) and, in 1952, the Frente Nacional de de Artes Plásticas (National Front of Fine Arts) alongside Francisco Goitia, José Chávez Morado, Xavier Guerrero, and other artists. In 1962, he became the deputy director of the Escuela de Diseño y Artesanías (Design and Handicrafts School) of the INBAL. At this institution, he was able to fully develop his roles as a designer and teacher. 

Due to his great talent and creativity, Rosendo Soto participated in more than fifty collective and solo exhibitions at the Salón de la Plástica Mexicana (Salon of Mexican Fine Art), where he received the Tlacuilo Award in 1990. The great legacy of this space is closely linked to the work and memory of Rosendo Soto.

José de Jesús Alfaro Siqueiros (Santa Rosalía de Camargo, Chihuahua, 1896 - Cuernavaca, Morelos, 1974) was a prominent mexican muralist. After briefly attending the Escuela Nacional Preparatoria (National Preparatory School), he began his artistic training in 1913 at the Escuela de Pintura al Aire Libre (Outdoor Painting School) in Santa Anita. Siqueiros actively participated in the Mexican Revolution, joining the Constitutional Army in 1917, and later traveled to Europe as a military attaché. After returning to Mexico in 1921, he championed monumental public art and the values of indigenous culture. 

In 1922, Siqueiros began mural work at the Escuela Nacional Preparatoria, and joined the Mexican Communist Party. While in Los Angeles, he founded The Bloc of Mural Painters and created works like Mitin obrero and América tropical, mastering airbrush techniques on concrete. His political views led to multiple imprisonments, including his involvement in the 1940 assassination attempt on Leon Trotsky.

At age 64, Siqueiros was sentenced to eight years in prison for organizing leftist student riots. Known for his murals’ dynamism, vibrant light and color, and didactic elements that combined painting, sculpture, and architecture, Siqueiros remains a celebrated figure in Mexican art.

Ana Waterland (Mérida, Yucatán, 1901 - 1982), although there is hardly any information about this artist, it is known that she adopted landscape painting as her genre and developed it with talent according to the guidelines set by the painter, José María Velasco. Her artistic production also includes still lifes and nature studies, as documented in the catalogue of an exhibition held in 1979 at a gallery in Coyoacán, Mexico City. She was the wife of the visual artist, Feliciano Peña.

Arturo Estrada (Panindícuaro, Michoacán, 1925) is a Mexican painter known for his nationalist style. At a young age, he moved to Mexico City to begin his studies at the School of Painting, Sculpture, and Engraving, La Esmeralda, where he was taught by Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo. He is recognized as one of the "Fridos," alongside Arturo García Bustos, Guillermo Monroy, and Fanny Rabel. Decades later, he served as both a teacher and director at La Esmeralda.

Estrada is skilled in easel painting, muralism, and printmaking. His works are characterized by their refined forms and a luminous, vibrant color palette. Since 1945, he has exhibited his art in various venues across Mexico and internationally. He has also created murals at the Museo Nacional de Antropología (National Museum of Anthropology), in public buildings, metro stations, and in various cities throughout Mexico. Estrada continues to actively pursue his artistic practice to this day.

Concepción “Concha” Toussaint Ritter (Mexico City, 1906 - 1991) studied at the Escuela de Pintura al Aire Libre (Outdoor Painting School) and at the Academia de San Carlos (San Carlos Academy of Fine Arts). She was the sister of sculptor Guillermo Toussaint, as well as Carlota, Manuel, and Carmen Toussaint, the latter also a painter and printmaker, as well as the wife of Francisco Díaz de León. Toussaint held solo exhibitions at the José Clemente Orozco Gallery in 1954 and the Sociedad de Arquitectos Mexicanos (Mexican Society of Architects) in 1958.

Eloy Cerecero Sandoval (Saltillo, Coahuila, 1929 - 2023) arrived to Mexico City in 1952, supported by a scholarship granted by the government of Coahuila. Aspiring to become a professional painter, he sought guidance from Miguel Álvarez Acosta at the Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes (National Institute of Fine Arts). Álvarez Acosta advised him to approach the leadership committee of the Frente Nacional de Artes Plásticas (National Front of Fine Arts) instead of enrolling at the Academia de San Carlos (San Carlos Academy of Fine Arts). There, he met José Chávez Morado, who introduced him to the other committee members and was accepted.

Cerecero participated in several exhibitions at Galería Chapultepec (Chapultepec Gallery), Galería Artistas Mexicanos Unidos (Mexican United Artists Gallery), and Galería Romano (Romano Gallery). In the 1960s, he returned to his hometown of Saltillo, where he created murals for government buildings and established several art education institutions. His work has not been exhibited in Mexico City for over 30 years, highlighting the importance of rediscovering this artist, whose career is primarily known in northern Mexico.

Erasto Cortés (Tepeaca, Puebla, 1900 - Mexico City, 1972) was a printmaker, painter, writer, and educator. He began his career in the Escuela de Pintura al Aire Libre (Outdoor Painting School) and taught for more than thirty years at La Esmeralda (National School of Painting, Sculpture and Printmaking) and the Escuela Nacional de Artes Plásticas (National School of Fine Arts). He was a member of the Liga de Escritores y Artistas Revolucionarios (League of Revolutionary Artists and Writers), the Taller de la Gráfica Popular (Popular Graphics Workshop), and the Salón de la Gráfica Mexicana (Mexican Graphics Salon)

Alongside his rich artistic output, which featured diverse technical expressions, Cortés published articles and art critiques in newspapers and magazines, and was a member of the Mexican Association of Art Critics. After the death of Leopoldo Méndez, a founding member of the Academy of Arts, Cortés replaced him as a full member of the Academy. Among his contemporaries were Jean Charlot, Federico Cantú, and Gabriel Fernández Ledezma. Cortés was highly active both politically and in the arts.

Francisco Romano Guillemín (Tlapa, Guerrero, 1883 – Cuautla, Morelos, 1950) began his studies with the Spanish painter José Arpa in Puebla, Mexico. He later entered the Escuela Nacional de Bellas Artes (National School of Fine Arts), formerly the Academia de San Carlos, where he studied under mentors such as Antonio Fabrés, Germán Gedovius, and Leandro Izaguirre. He is considered one of the pioneers of Impressionism in Mexico, a movement he assimilated during his stay in Europe in 1934, influenced particularly by Seurat's pointillism. Upon his return to Mexico, he worked as a professor at the Escuela Nacional de Bellas Artes (National School of Fine Arts). His painting Vista del Iztaccíhuatl is considered one of his most representative works.

Froylán Ojeda (Veracruz, 1932-1991) studied between 1945 and 1948 at the Escuela Nacional de Artes Plásticas (National School of Fine Arts), where he was taught by professors such as Benjamín Coria and Luis Sahagún. In 1951, he joined the Taller de Materiales Plásticos (Fine Arts Materials Workshop) at the Instituto Politécnico Nacional (Polytechnic National Institute), and in 1955, the Taller de Integración Plástica (Fine Arts Integration Workshop). The following year, he continued his training at La Esmeralda.

His early artistic phase, corresponding to the 1950s, stands out for its quality and originality. However, during the 1960s, he shifted his work toward a more commercial and decorative style, resulting in a prolific but less artistically significant production. Despite this, his first ten years of work deserve to be revisited and could serve as the centerpiece of a solo exhibition to reappraise this phase of his career.

Jorge González Camarena (Guadalajara, Jalisco, 1908 - Mexico City, 1980) was a painter, sculptor, and muralist. At the age of ten, his family moved to Mexico City, where he later enrolled at the Academy of San Carlos. There, he met Dr. Atl, who hired him as an assistant. He participated in student movements advocating for reforms in the institution, including the modernization of academic programs.

In 1925, he collaborated with Dr. Atl on an illustrated edition about Mexico’s churches. In 1932, he restored 16th-century frescoes in the Huejotzingo convent in Puebla and began his career as a poster artist. From 1940 onward, he focused on mural painting, monumental sculpture, and easel works.

In 1962, he created La Patria, his most iconic piece, which was used as the cover for Mexico’s free textbooks. He became a member of the Mexican History Seminar in 1966 and joined the Academy of Arts in 1972. His final mural, Trilogía de Saltillo (1978), is located in the Saltillo city hall. He passed away due to a cerebral hemorrhage. After a national tribute, he was buried in the family crypt at the Panteón de Dolores.

Juan O’Gorman (Coyoacán, Mexico City, 1905 - 1982), is considered one of the last muralists of the 20th century. He was the son of  irish painter Cecil Crawford O'Gorman and of a Mexican mother, and studied architecture at UNAM (National Autonomous University of Mexico), where he studied and was influenced by Le Corbusier and Frank Lloyd Wright. He taught at the Instituto Politécnico Nacional (National Polytechnic Institute), where he founded the Architect Engineer program. He worked on significant projects such as the urban development of Pedregal de San Ángel and the Biblioteca Central (Central Library) at UNAM (National Autonomous University of Mexico), where he designed a stone mural. 

For him, painting was initially a secondary activity that mainly served as a recreational pursuit away from the structural calculations for his architectural work, combining architectural elements with fantasy, satire, and social critique. His close relationship with Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo led him to design their studio-house, considered a milestone in modern architecture. He was a member of the Academy of Arts and received the National Fine Arts Award in 1972. He continued working until his tragic death in 1982, during which time he was painting frescoes for the Museo Nacional de Historia (National Museum of History).

Luis Covarrubias Duclaud (Mexico City, 1919 - Poza Rica, Veracruz, 1987) studied chemistry but, influenced by his brother Miguel, pursued a career in the visual arts and developed a strong interest in archaeology. Throughout his life, he worked as a cultural promoter, museographer, muralist, and visual artist, leaving a significant legacy in various cultural spaces across the country.

At the Museo Nacional de Antropología (National Museum of Anthropology), he contributed to the integration of works that complemented the efforts of artists such as Rina Lazo and Leonora Carrington, among others. He also created murals in Mexico City and Michoacán. His work stands out for achieving a synthesis between the modern language of post-revolutionary art and the influence of Mesoamerican cultures, capturing in his illustrations and representations, a profound understanding of the societies of that historical period.

Francisco Moreno Capdevila (Barcelona, 1926 – Mexico City, 1995) began his artistic training in Spain at the Escuela de Artes del Libro (School of Arts of the Book). At the age of 13, he arrived in Mexico as a political refugee due to the Spanish Civil War. In Mexico, he became a naturalized citizen and expanded his artistic production to include printmaking, experimenting with various techniques and creating works in multiple formats, including murals.

Throughout his career, he received numerous awards, including from the Salón Nacional de Grabado (National Printmaking Salon), the Acquisition Award for Painting at the Salón de la Plástica Mexicana (Salon of Mexican Fine Art), and the Third International Biennial of Graphic Art in Florence. His work was exhibited in various venues, with a notable exhibition at the Palacio de Bellas Artes (Palace of Fine Arts) in 1987. His artwork was characterized by a dynamic interplay between figurative and abstract painting. In the field of education, he taught at the Escuela Nacional de Artes Plásticas (National School of Fine Arts) and was a member of the Academy of Arts

Nicolás Moreno (Mexico City, 1923 - 2012) was a painter, drawer, engraver, and muralist, considered one of the best landscape artists of his time, and heir to the pictorial tradition of José María Velasco and Dr. Atl. In his childhood, his family moved to Celaya, Guanajuato, where he worked as a muleteer, allowing him to store vivid images in his memory that he would later depict on his canvases. He took his first drawing classes at La Esmeralda (School of Painting, Sculpture, and Printmaking) attending at night. Later, from 1941 to 1945, thanks to a scholarship, he studied at the Escuela Nacional de Artes Plásticas (National School of Fine Arts), the former Academia de San Carlos. 

Starting in 1951, he shared his artistic knowledge at both institutions. In 1949, he became a founding member of the Salón de la Plástica Mexicana (Salon of Mexican Fine Art), alongside Raúl Anguiano, Angelina Beloff, Federico Cantú, and Dolores and Germán Cueto. In his prolific artistic production, Nicolás Moreno demonstrated his passion for nature by depicting natural landscapes from the Mexican province on canvas. Some of his most well-known works include the murals he created for the Museo Nacional de Antropología (National Museum of Anthropology): Valle de Teotihuacan en la prehistoria, Paisaje de Juchitepec, and Valle del Mezquital. Throughout his career, he held important solo and group exhibitions in Mexico and abroad, in countries such as Germany, the United States, Spain, France, England, Italy, Peru, and Poland, among others. In recognition of his career, he received the Prize of the Salón de la Plástica Mexicana in 1957, 1966, and 2001.

Pedro Galarza (Guadalajara, Jalisco, 1882 – 1972) showed an interest in drawing from a young age, but as a teenager, he joined the ranks of the Mexican Revolution, first as a common soldier and later as a trusted officer of General Gonzalo Gasca, to whom he likely owed his admission to the former Academia de San Carlos (San Carlos Academy of Fine Arts).  At this institution, he was a student of Mateo Herrera, José María Ibarrarán y Ponce, and Juan de Mata Pacheco. 

His artistic career was interrupted when he was called back into service to control the uprising led by Adolfo de la Huerta. Once the rebellion was quelled, Galarza focused entirely on his painting, primarily landscapes, through which he sought to capture nature as it “impressed” him. For this reason, his canvases are considered part of the Impressionist school. He also created scenes of architecture, as well as developed portraiture through his work. He spent his final years in poverty until his death in 1972.

Rafael Navarro Barajas (Tonila, Jalisco, 1921 – Mexico City, 1992) studied at the Academia de San Carlos and, in 1944, enrolled at La Esmeralda (National School of Painting, Sculpture and Printmaking). He began participating in group exhibitions and later received a scholarship from the French Institute to continue his studies in Europe. His first solo exhibition was held in 1953 at the Galería de Arte Mexicano (Mexican Art Gallery), which represented his work for many years and included it in various group exhibitions.

Ramón Cano Manilla (Veracruz, 1888 – Ciudad Mante, Tamaulipas, 1974) was a prominent Mexican painter, muralist, and teacher. His work, representative of the Escuela Mexicana de Arte (Mexican School of Art), is characterized by vibrant depictions of Mexico's traditions and customs, with scenes full of color, textures, and strong composition. From his childhood, he worked in rural trades such as day laborer and muleteer, which sparked his interest in rural themes. 

He moved to Mexico City in 1920 to study at the Academia de San Carlos (San Carlos Academy of Fine Arts) and at the Escuela de Pintura al Aire Libre (Outdoor Painting School) in Chimalistac, where he was a student of teachers such as Leopoldo Méndez and Fermín Revueltas. Throughout his career, his work was exhibited nationally and internationally, and he founded several outdoor painting schools, including one in his hometown of Veracruz. Mexican landscapes - especially valleys and volcanoes - were among his most recurring subjects, which became symbols of national identity in 20th-century art. 

In 1948, he moved to Ciudad Mante, Tamaulipas, where he continued his artistic and educational work, and served as director of the city’s Instituto Regional de Bellas Artes (Regional Institute of Fine Arts) from 1956 to 1960. He was a contemporary of great Mexican muralists such as David Alfaro Siqueiros, José Clemente Orozco, and Rufino Tamayo, he maintained a friendship with Diego Rivera and was a teacher to Frida Kahlo.

Alfredo Zalce (Pátzcuaro, Michoacán, 1908 - Morelia, 2003) studied at the Escuela Nacional de Bellas Artes (National School of Fine Arts) from 1924 to 1928 under the tutelage of Germán Gedovius and Leandro Izaguirre. In 1930, he founded the Escuela de Pintura y Escultura (School of Painting and Sculpture) in Taxco, Guerrero, and devoted much of his life to teaching. Between 1932 and 1935, he taught at schools under the Secretaría de Educación Pública (Ministry of Public Education) and was an active member of the state's Cultural Missions. In 1933, he became a founding member of the Liga de Escritores y Artistas Revolucionarios (League of Revolutionary Artists and Writers) and a member of the Taller de Gráfica Popular (Workshop for Popular Graphic Art). Later, he taught at La Esmeralda (National School of Painting, Sculpture and Printmaking) and at the Escuela Nacional de Artes Plásticas (National School of Fine Arts) of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (National Autonomous University of Mexico). 

In 1978, he won first prize at the Salón de la Plástica Mexicana (Salon of Mexican Fine Art), and the government of Michoacán established the Alfredo Zalce Fine Arts Prize in his honor. In 1993, the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Michoacán (Museum of Contemporary Art of Michoacán) in Morelia was re-inaugurated as the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo Alfredo Zalce (Alfredo Zalce's Museum of Contemporary Art). Zalce distanced himself from the spotlight, fame, and money, which led him to decline the National Prize for Arts and Sciences twice (in 1990 and 1998) before accepting it in 2001. Zalce is considered "the last post-revolutionary muralist."

Antonio Serna (Barcelona, 1936 – Mexico City, 2012), whose full name was Antonio Rodríguez de la Serna, was the son of Antonio Rodríguez Luna. He arrived in Mexico at the age of three and always considered himself a Mexican painter of Spanish origin. A self-taught artist, he began painting professionally in 1958. His early works were influenced by his father’s style, though his primary distinction lay in his depictions of Mexican peasants in exile. He was a member of the Salón de la Plástica Mexicana (Salon of Mexican Fine Art), and his work was promoted by the Galería Pecanins (Pecanins Gallery).

Carlos Rodríguez Mora (active in the 20th century) left behind scarce documentary evidence of his artistic trajectory. In 1944, he participated in the donation of works to support painter Francisco Gutiérrez at Galería Decoración (Decoration Gallery). In 1945, he held a solo exhibition at the Círculo de Bellas Artes. By the 1960s, he began painting child portraits in the style of Horacio Rentería, though without significant recognition.

Carlos Sánchez Mendoza (Toluca, 1908–1976) studied under Fermín Revueltas at the School of Painting and Sculpture in La Villa, as well as at the Academia de San Carlos (Academy of San Carlos) and in New York, where he specialized in advertising. In 1924, he began his career as an apprentice at El Heraldo de México (Herald of Mexico). In 1948, he exhibited at the Círculo de Bellas Artes (Fine Arts Circle), and in 1949, he became one of the founding members of the Salón de la Plástica Mexicana (Salon of Mexican Fine Arts), alongside artists such as Olga Costa, José Reyes Meza, Rufino Tamayo, Diego Rivera, and Frida Kahlo, among others. His deeply captivating work portrays the nightlife of Mexico City’s outskirts: the neighborhoods, the figure of the pachuco, cabaret performers, and tent show clowns. For this reason, Jorge Juan Crespo de la Serna referred to him as the "painter of the Mexican night."

His first solo exhibition was held in 1951 at the Salón de la Plástica Mexicana, where he also presented the 1956 show titled Viacrucis de Iztapalapa. He was also a respected illustrator for various publications, most notably Revista de Revistas.

Celia Calderón (Guanajuato, 1921 - Mexico City, 1969) was born into a family surrounded by art and culture. She began her formal studies in 1942 at the Escuela Nacional de Artes Plásticas (National School of Fine Arts) and later joined the Francisco Díaz de León workshop, where she excelled in printmaking. With a scholarship from the UNAM (National Autonomous University of Mexico), she pursued printmaking, painting, and drawing at the former Academia de San Carlos (San Carlos Academy of Fine Arts). Her exceptional talent earned her a scholarship to the Slade School of Fine Arts in London. 

As a beloved educator, Calderón inspired generations of students, and her work was successfully exhibited in Mexico, United States, Canada, South America, Europe, and China. Alongside Elizabeth Catlett and Mercedes Quevedo, she led the Taller de Gráfica Popular (Workshop for Popular Graphic Art). Her artistic career explored indigenous life, miscegenation, and revolutionary social causes through various techniques. Tragically, she passed away in 1969 at the Academia de San Carlos, leaving behind a respected legacy in the artistic community.

Cordelia Urueta (Mexico City, 1908 - 1995) was born into a family of artists and intellectuals, and began her artistic training with private lessons before studying at Alfredo Ramos Martínez’s Escuela de Pintura al Aire Libre (Outdoor Painting School). She worked as a drawing and crafts teacher at the Secretaría de Educación Pública (Ministry of Public Education), where she formed friendships with several influential artists. In 1938, she moved to Paris as a chancellor at the Mexican embassy, and later relocated to New York during World War II. Her artistic career flourished after her return to Mexico in 1945. 

Urueta's style blends figurative and abstract elements, employing non-naturalistic color to convey emotion and dreamlike atmospheres, especially in depictions of the human form. Her work addresses indigenist and social justice themes while also exploring expressive intentions through formal elements. Throughout the 20th century, Urueta exhibited internationally and received awards, including at the Inter-American Painting Biennial and the VI São Paulo Biennial, establishing herself as a key figure in Modern Mexican Art.

Gerardo Murillo, known as "Dr. Atl" (Guadalajara, Jalisco, 1875 – Ciudad de México, 1964), was a pioneering mexican artist and intellectual. He began his artistic studies in his hometown and continued at the Escuela Nacional de Bellas Artes (National School of Fine Arts) in Mexico City. After receiving a scholarship from the government, he studied Law and Philosophy in Europe, where he also worked as a journalist and painter. He earned a silver medal at the Salon of Paris in 1900 and became known as "the Agitator" for his critical stance against the academic methods of art instruction in Mexico.

Murillo's life was marked by his strong political and social activism, both in Mexico and during his time in exile. He founded the Liga Internacional de Pintores y Artistas (International League of Painters and Artists) and supported the constitutionalist movement during the Mexican Revolution. He was also incarcerated for his ideals. After living in the United States for a time, he was repatriated and became the director of the Escuela Nacional de Bellas Artes  (National School of Fine Arts) between 1914 and 1915 following Alfredo Ramos Martínez' resignation.

In the 1930s, Dr. Atl reached his artistic peak, focusing on landscapes and portraits, including notable works of the painter and poet Carmen Mondragón “Nahui Olin”, with whom he had a romantic relationship with since 1921. His volcanic landscapes, featuring the Popocatépetl, Iztaccíhuatl, and the Paricutín volcano, became emblematic of his work. He also invented the Atl-colors, a new type of pigment that revolutionized his painting technique. Dr. Atl donated much of his artwork to the Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes (National Institute of Fine Arts).

Delfino García (Zacualpan, Estado de México, 1912 - Taxco, Guerrero, 1996) arrived in Taxco by chance and joined the town’s Escuela de Pintura al Aire Libre (Outdoor Painting School), becoming the most notable pupil of Tamiji Kitagawa. Kitagawa recommended him for a scholarship to study in Mexico City, but García declined to leave Taxco. As a result, Amador Lugo, who would later become one of García’s primary collectors, was chosen instead.

Inés Amor included García in international exhibitions, such as the Mexican Art Today show organized by Henry Clifford at the Philadelphia Museum of Art in 1943, with support from the Secretaría de Educación Pública (Ministry of Public Education). In 1949, he participated in a group show at Francisco Rodríguez Caracalla’s Galería de Arte Moderno (Modern Art Gallery). His work was featured in international magazines, yet his career remained limited to customs painting in Taxco, where he lived until his death.

Fanny Ravinovich, or Fanny Rabel (Lodz, Poland, 1922 - Mexico City, 2008), is considered one of the first female Mexican muralists, although she also worked in painting, drawing, printmaking, and ceramic sculpture. She was born into a Jewish-Polish family of traveling actors, who moved to Paris in 1929 and settled permanently in Mexico City in 1938.

Rabel began her studies in drawing and printmaking at the Escuela Nocturna para Trabajadores (Night School for Workers). In 1942, she enrolled in the newly founded Escuela de Pintura, Escultura y Grabado, La Esmeralda (School of Painting, Sculpture and Printmaking) where she studied under Frida Kahlo, José Chávez Morado, and Feliciano Peña. She was an assistant and apprentice to David Alfaro Siqueiros and Diego Rivera and was the only woman accepted by the "Fridos," a group of Frida Kahlo's disciples.

In 1945, she held her first solo exhibition at the Liga Popular Israelita (Folks-Ligue) and five years later, she became a member of the Salón de la Plástica Mexicana (Salon of Mexican Fine Art) and the Taller de Gráfica Popular (Workshop for Popular Grapgic Art). From 1964 to 1965, she created her most important mural, Ronda en el tiempo, located at the Museo Nacional de Antropología (National Museum of Anthropology).

Her work showcases stylistic changes, ranging from social realism to surrealism and neo-expressionism. She was a pioneer for addressing ecological concerns and climate change in her work, as demonstrated in the series Réquiem por una ciudad (1979). She lost her memory towards her final years of life, likely due to Alzheimer's disease.

Fermín Rojas Pacheco (Chiapas, 1928 - ?) was a painter whose talent has fallen into obscurity. He studied at the Escuela de Artes Plásticas de Chiapas (Chiapas School of Fine Arts) and, in 1948, enrolled in the Escuela Nacional de Artes Plásticas (National School of Fine Arts). During his training, he studied printmaking under Carlos Alvarado Lang and worked as an assistant to José Chávez Morado. In 1952, he joined the  Frente Nacional de Artes Plásticas (National Front of Fine Arts) and participated in the Pinturas y grabados mexicanos (Mexican Paintings and Prints Exhibition) exhibition in 1955.

In 1959, his work was featured in Pinturas y grabados mexicanos (Mexican Paintings and Prints Exhibition) at the Casa Regional Valenciana (Regional Valencian House). By the late 1980s, his work was represented by the Galería Theo Obras Originales (Theo Gallery Original Works), first located in the Doctores neighborhood and later in Santa María la Ribera, Mexico City.

A defining feature of his work is that his characters almost always appear with their backs turned, with rare pieces depicting frontal features. Although his body of work is extensive and has been reappraised in collective exhibitions, a solo exhibition showcasing the best of his career remains long overdue.

Francisco Arturo Marín (Guadalajara, 1907 - Mexico City, 1979) began his artistic training with painter Carlos Orozco Romero and later studied under León Muñiz and Luis Ortiz Monasterio, where he learned wood carving. He graduated as a medical doctor, an influence that shaped his work, particularly in his representations of the human body, which combined Mesoamerican cultures with abstract art of the mid-20th century.

Throughout his life, Marín created small-scale sculptures, which are present in both national and private collections, as well as monumental works in public squares. Through the depiction of human anatomy, he explored wide, curving forms, creating solid works that address themes of pain and human drama.

Francisco Vázquez Guzmán (Colima, 1926 - 2024) pursued his studies in Mexico City, enrolling at the Academia de San Carlos and later at La Esmeralda (School of Painting, Sculpture and Printmaking). He studied under renowned artists such as Raúl Anguiano and Carlos Orozco Romero. In 1957, he participated in the Mexican Art Exhibition at the National Chamber of the Transformation Industry and in the New Talents exhibit at the Salón de la Plástica Mexicana (Salon of Mexican Fine Art).

He later returned to Colima, where he created most of his work. The University of Colima houses a mural by him titled Pre-Hispanic Manzanillo, completed in 1996. Additionally, the Pinacoteca of the University of Colima holds several of his works in its collection.

Guillermo Monroy Becerril (Tlalpujahua, Michoacán, 1924) studied at La Esmeralda (National School of Painting, Sculpture and Printmaking) where he was taught by renowned artists such as Feliciano Peña, Raúl Anguiano, Agustín Lazo, José Chávez Morado, Diego Rivera, and Frida Kahlo, which led to his inclusion in the group known as “Los Fridos.” He also studied at the Taller de Ensaye de Materiales Plásticos (Fine Art Materials Practice Workshop) at the Instituto Politécnico Nacional (National Polytechnic Institute) and distinguished himself as an assistant to the great muralist masters, while simultaneously undertaking various individual mural projects.

He was a member of several important artistic collectives, including the Taller de Gráfica Popular (Workshop for Popular Graphic Art), the Taller de Integración Plástica (Workshop for Art Integration), the Célula Artística “Silvestre Revueltas” (Silvestre Revueltas Artistic Cell), the Grupo de Pintores Jóvenes Revolucionarios (Group of Young Revolutionary Painters), the Frente Revolucionario de Pintores, Escultores y Grabadores (Revolutionary Front of Painters, Sculptors, and Printmakers), the Frente Nacional de Artes Plásticas (National Front of Fine Arts), the Nueva Generación de Pintores Muralistas (New Generation of Muralist Painters), and the Agrupación Cultural Morelense (Morelos Cultural Association). Additionally, he co-founded the Taller Frida Kahlo (Frida Kahlo Workshop).

Monroy also worked as an educator at several institutions, including La Esmeralda, the Instituto de Ciencias y Artes de Chiapas (Institute of Science and Arts of Chiapas), the Centro Cultural Vito Alesio Robles (Vito Alessio Robles Cultural Center), and the Instituto Regional de Bellas Artes de Acapulco (Regional Institute of Fine Arts) in Acapulco. After relocating to Cuernavaca, Morelos, he collaborated with other artists residing in the area and contributed as an illustrator for various print media, such as El Zapata Ilustrado magazine. This has earned him recognition as a pioneer and promoter of art and culture in the region. His work has been exhibited in prominent venues, including the Palacio de Bellas Artes (Palace of Fine Arts), the Galería de la Plástica Mexicana (Mexican Fine Art Gallery) and the Museo Anahuacalli (Anahuacalli Museum), among others, solidifying a rich artistic trajectory that has been honored on multiple occasions.

Héctor Ayala Guzmán (Guanajuato, 1933 - ¿?) studied at the Escuela Nacional de Artes Plásticas (National School of Fine Arts), where he shared classes with Rafael Coronel, Xavier G. Íñiguez, and other notable artists. In 1954, he became one of the founding artists of the Jardín del Arte (Art Garden). He was also a member of the Taller de Integración Plástica (Fine Art Integration Workshop) alongside José Chávez Morado, Jorge Best, and Rosendo Soto, and joined the Frente Nacional de Artes Plásticas (National Front of Fine Arts).

His work was exhibited abroad for the first time in the  Pintura y Grabados Mexicanos  (1955-1956) (Mexican Painting and Prints) exhibition. He later participated in prominent events, such as the Gran Exposición de Arte Mexicano (Great Exhibition of Mexican Art) organized by the National Chamber of the Transformation Industry in 1957, the First Inter-American Biennial in 1958, and the First National Painting Salon held in 1959 at the Museo Nacional de Arte Moderno (National Museum of Modern Art). In 1976, he took part in the collective exhibition Fifty Years of Mexican Painting, organized by the Metro Transport System in the Zócalo-Pino Suárez passage. The Museum of Modern Art in Mexico City holds one of Héctor Ayala's works in its collection.

José Clemente Orozco (Ciudad Guzmán, Jalisco, 1883 – Ciudad de México, 1949) was a prominent Mexican muralist whose work was characterized by his political criticism, social commitment, and a unique artistic style. His initial exposure to art came through the prints of José Guadalupe Posada. 

During the Mexican Revolution, Orozco joined the Carrancista army and worked as an illustrator and cartoonist for the newspaper La Vanguardia, though he distanced himself from the movement due to the horrors of the armed conflict. He moved to the United States and worked as an independent painter before returning to Mexico in 1922, where he joined the rising muralist movement. This experience allowed him to produce significant murals, including those at the Escuela Nacional Preparatoria (National Preparatory School) and the Escuela Industrial (Industry School) in Orizaba. In 1930, he became the first Mexican to create a mural in the United States at Pomona College in California.

Orozco often used fire as a symbol of transformation and destruction in his monumental murals, such as in Katharsis and the frescoes at the Hospicio Cabañas. In 1940, his work was exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, where he painted Dive Bomber and Tank, a denunciation of industrialized war. His later works focused on the Conquest of Mexico, offering a profound critique of the conflict between the Spanish and Indigenous peoples. His legacy remains a cornerstone of modern Mexican art, and his murals continue to influence generations of artists.

José Gómez Rosas "El Hotentote" (Orizaba, Veracruz, 1916 – 1977) studied at the Escuela Nacional de Bellas Artes de San Carlos (National School of Fine Arts) where he stood out not only for his painting skills but also for his work in theater scenography and decorations. He contributed to iconic venues such as the Salón México and Ba-ba-lú, and even created a stained-glass window for the Hostería de Santo Domingo. Additionally, he was involved in animating mask parties and initiation rituals at the school, embracing various forms of artistic expression beyond painting. He was also part of the group of artists who sought to challenge the supremacy of the muralists, as reflected in his painting The Greek Tragedy, in which he presented a satire of the 1946 National Arts Award.

Luis Strempler Vivanco (Mexico City, 1928 - 2002) began his artistic training by taking painting classes with Dr. Atl and later studied at the Escuela Nacional de Artes Plásticas (National School of Fine Arts) from 1944 to 1947. In January of 1947, he participated in a group exhibition alongside painters Luis García Robledo and Nicolás Moreno Orduña at the pergola of the central park in Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas. Throughout his career, Strempler created several stage designs and three murals.

Although his work is documented in books and exhibition catalogs from the 1950s and 1960s, his legacy has been largely forgotten, as no exhibitions dedicated to his work have been organized for some time.

Horacio Rentería (Durango, 1912 – Durango) was born into a humble family. He studied in his hometown at the Instituto Juárez (Juárez Institute) and worked as a primary school teacher and language instructor. In 1933, he moved to Gómez Palacio, Durango, where he taught drawing and mathematics until 1944. 

A follower of the Escuela Mexicana de Pintura (Mexican School of Painting), Rentería created his first murals in the Comarca Lagunera. Later, he moved to Taxco, Guerrero, and then traveled to Europe. Upon returning to Gómez Palacio, he focused on easel painting, incorporating historical elements into his work, such as 19th-century models and attire, which evoked a sense of nostalgia, innocence, and celebration. He passed away at the age of sixty, at the height of his career.

Olga Costa (Leipzig, Alemania, 1913 - Guanajuato, 1993), born into an Ukrainian family as  Olga Kostakowsky Fabrikant, was a prominent painter and cultural manager. She arrived in Mexico with her family in 1925, fleeing political persecution due to her father's socialist activism, for which he was imprisoned and later granted amnesty. She studied at the Escuela Nacional de Artes Plásticas (National School of Fine Arts), where she was a student of Carlos Mérida and Emilio Amero. 

In 1935, she married the painter José Chávez Morado, with whom she shared her political and artistic commitment. She was the founder of important cultural spaces such as the Galería Espiral (Spiral Gallery) in 1941 and the Sociedad de Arte Moderno (Modern Art Society) in 1943. Along with Chávez Morado, she founded the Museo del Pueblo de Guanajuato (Museum of the Town of Guanajuato) in 1979. She was awarded the National Prize for Arts and Sciences in 1990, and her tireless work in art management has awarded her high honors in various museums and festivals, testifying her lasting legacy in Mexican culture.

Her pictorial work, characterized by vibrant use of color and themes such as landscapes, still lifes, and portraits, is part of important collections; among the most emblematic pieces is Vendedora de frutas (1951), housed at the Museo de Arte Moderno (Museum of Modern Art).

Pablo O'Higgins (Salt Lake City, Utah, United States 1904 – Mexico City, 1983) was an expressionist and romantic painter who was trained in the United States. After seeing a mural by Diego Rivera in a magazine, he contacted the master by letter, and Rivera invited him to visit Mexico. He arrived in 1924, where Rivera accepted him as a collaborator on the murals at the Secretaría de Educación Pública (Ministry of Public Education) building. Despite his admiration for Diego, O'Higgins maintained a personal vision and independent judgment, which allowed his work to flourish in its full potential as a great muralist and easel painter. 

He taught for several years at La Esmeralda (National School of Painting, Sculpture, and Printmaking). In 1959, he received the Award from the Annual Engraving and Lithography Salon of the Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes y Literatura (National Institute of Fine Arts and Literature). Before joining the foundation of the Liga de Escritores y Artistas Revolucionarios (League of Revolutionary Writers and Artists), he taught art at the Cultural Missions of Zacatecas and Durango and collaborated on the first monograph published about José Guadalupe Posada, a co-edition of the Mexican magazine, Graphic Workshops of the Nation, and the U.S. magazine Mexican Folkways. In solidarity with the people of Mexico, he painted in awe of its landscapes, highlighting the determination and commitment of hardworking people, and defended them by denouncing injustice through his murals.

Pilar Calvo (Mexico City, 1914 –1986), a painter whose full name was María del Pilar Calvo y De la Torre, studied at the Academy of San Carlos under the mentorship of Germán Gedovius. In 1943, she presented her work Magnolias at the Primer Salón de la Flor (First Flower Salon), which formed part of the II Salón de Floricultura (Floriculture Salon II). In August of 1944, she held a solo exhibition at the Palacio de Bellas Artes (Palace of Fine Arts).

In 1948, she published an article in English titled Art Chose Me in the Modern Mexico magazine, where she described her artistic journey, which began at the age of six, and reflected on her painting style, expressing how she felt that art had chosen her. That same year, she participated in the auction of works in support of painter María Izquierdo, held at the Mont-Orendain Gallery. By the late 1950s, she stopped exhibiting regularly, and her work has been scarcely featured in recent exhibitions.

Raúl Velázquez Olivera (Mexico City, 1929 – 2005) studied at the Academia de San Carlos (San Carlos Academy). He was a member of the Frente Nacional de Artes Plásticas (National Front of Fine Arts) and, participated in the 1955 Mexican Paintings and Prints exhibition in Poland. The following year, he exhibited at the Galería Artistas Mexicanos Unidos (United Mexican Artists Gallery), also organized by the Frente Nacional de Artes Plásticas.

Velázquez Olivera created a mural for the Hotel Virreyes in Mexico City and participated in several exhibitions at the Romano Gallery. In 1959, he contributed to the illustration of the first free textbooks, which were published in 1960. Throughout his career, he also illustrated several archaeology books, including some by Enrique Florescano and others by his daughter, the archaeologist Adriana Velázquez Morlet.

Valeta Swann (Eastbourne, Sussex, England, 1904 – Mexico City, 1973) showed a natural talent for drawing from a young age. Although her mother always opposed it, she managed to take classes with Helen Urquhart at the age of sixteen, and continued her studies at the local Fine Arts school. In 1927, she married Eric Swanny and moved to London. She then attended the Warwick Art School and later the Central School of Art. 

In 1930, she exhibited her work in London and Paris, before traveling to North America in 1939 with her second husband, anthropologist Bronislaw Malinowski, who was invited to work at Yale University. She accompanied him through the United States and Mexico during his research on the bartering system in markets, where she contributed with photographs and paintings. This marked the beginning of her work, which was characterized by a personal perspective of vivid colors and luminosity, giving her artwork a unique trait that, apart from impressionism and pointillism, was born from her own intuition. In 1945, she exhibited at the Palacio de Bellas Artes (Palace of Fine Arts) and subsequently held more than fifty exhibitions in Mexico, Europe, and the United States. She became known for painting portable murals, such as Sinfonía Cósmica (1960).

Vita Castro (Oaxaca, 1904/1912 – 1987) was sent to Mexico City at the age of five, where she studied at the Escuela de Pintura al Aire Libre (Outdoor Painting School) in Churubusco. After her husband’s death in 1947, she dedicated herself professionally to painting under the guidance of Angelina Beloff, with whom she lived until Beloff's death. They rented a small apartment on the property of musicologist Nabor Hurtado and his wife Cleotilde, located in Cuernavaca.

Castro was a member of the Sociedad Mexicana de Grabadores (Mexican Society of Printmakers), where she participated in various collective exhibitions and in different graphic art portfolios, notably La Ciudad de México, 21 grabados (Mexico City, 21 Prints). She was also part of the Salón de la Plástica Mexicana (Salon of Mexican Fine Art). In 1962, she took part in the collective exhibition El Grabado Mexicano Contemporáneo (Contemporary Mexican Printmaking) and in La Mujer en la Plástica (Women in Fine Arts), held at the Galería del Instituto de Arte de México (Mexico's Institute of Art Gallery).

Although she was widely recognized as a printmaker in numerous collective exhibitions, her pictorial work has not been widely discussed, and she has not had any solo exhibitions since her death.

Agustín Lazo (Mexico City, 1896 - 1971) was a painter, designer, playwright, and pioneer of Mexican surrealism. Born into a prominent family, he studied architecture but abandoned the career to focus on painting, guided by Alfredo Ramos Martínez at the Escuela de Pintura al Aire Libre de Santa Anita (Santa Anita Outdoor School of Painting) in Iztacalco, Mexico City. In 1917, he entered the Escuela Nacional de Bellas Artes (National School of Fine Arts), where he trained alongside Manuel Rodríguez Lozano and Abraham Ángel. 

After a trip to Europe in the 1920s, he developed a pictorial language called poetic realism, influenced by figures such as Picasso and the metaphysical painting of De Chirico. Upon returning to Mexico, he joined the author’s collective Grupo sin grupo, which had notable members such as Salvador Novo and Jorge Novo, who later affiliated with the magazine Contemporáneos. In addition to his work as a painter, Lazo delved into the world of collage, while also working as a playwright and set designer in mexican theater. He was an artist who blended international influences with a critical vision of mexican identity

Carlos Felipe Vázquez (active in the 20th century) is an artist about whom little biographical information is available, including his birthplace. His work is known primarily through his participation in various exhibitions. For instance, records show that in April 1951, he exhibited the oil painting Mi hermana at a group show of Fine Arts teachers from Mexico City’s secondary schools, held at Galería Romano (Romano Gallery) in celebration of Teacher’s Day. Later that year, in November and December, he held a solo exhibition at the same gallery.

Lola Álvarez Bravo promoted his work, organizing a solo exhibition for him in November 1951. He also participated in a group exhibition at Álvarez Bravo’s Galería de Arte Contemporáneo (Contemporary Art Gallery), located at Amberes 12 in the Zona Rosa, alongside artists such as Juan Soriano, Trinidad Osorio, and Lucinda Urrusti. In 1956, he exhibited again at Galería Romano in the Annual Spring Salon. It is unknown whether he is still alive, and his work has not been displayed in any exhibitions since the 1950s.

Fanny Ravinovich, or Fanny Rabel (Lodz, Poland, 1922 - Mexico City, 2008), is considered one of the first female Mexican muralists, although she also worked in painting, drawing, printmaking, and ceramic sculpture. She was born into a Jewish-Polish family of traveling actors, who moved to Paris in 1929 and settled permanently in Mexico City in 1938.

Rabel began her studies in drawing and printmaking at the Escuela Nocturna para Trabajadores (Night School for Workers). In 1942, she enrolled in the newly founded Escuela de Pintura, Escultura y Grabado, La Esmeralda (School of Painting, Sculpture and Printmaking) where she studied under Frida Kahlo, José Chávez Morado, and Feliciano Peña. She was an assistant and apprentice to David Alfaro Siqueiros and Diego Rivera and was the only woman accepted by the "Fridos," a group of Frida Kahlo's disciples.

In 1945, she held her first solo exhibition at the Liga Popular Israelita (Folks-Ligue) and five years later, she became a member of the Salón de la Plástica Mexicana (Salon of Mexican Fine Art) and the Taller de Gráfica Popular (Workshop for Popular Grapgic Art). From 1964 to 1965, she created her most important mural, Ronda en el tiempo, located at the Museo Nacional de Antropología (National Museum of Anthropology).

Her work showcases stylistic changes, ranging from social realism to surrealism and neo-expressionism. She was a pioneer for addressing ecological concerns and climate change in her work, as demonstrated in the series Réquiem por una ciudad (1979). She lost her memory towards her final years of life, likely due to Alzheimer's disease.

Guillermo Meza (Ciudad de México, 1917 – 1997) was influenced by surrealism and fantastic symbolism. Initially trained as an apprentice tailor, Meza later studied music and art. At the age of nineteen, he attended the Escuela Nocturna de Arte para Trabajadores Número 1 (Night School for Workers), where he studied printmaking with Francisco Díaz de León and drawing with Santos Balmori. He traveled to Morelia as Balmori's assistant and also studied at the Escuela España-México (Spain-Mexico School).

In 1939, Meza attempted to be an apprentice to Diego Rivera but was not accepted. However, Rivera recommended him to the Galería de Arte Mexicano (Mexican Art Gallery), where Meza held his first exhibition in 1940. His talent was quickly recognized, and he won first place in the Salón de la Plástica Mexicana (Salon of Mexican Fine Art) in 1953 and 1954. He participated in major biennales such as Venice (1958), São Paulo (1959), and exhibited internationally in Japan and Canada.

In 1977, he designed sets and costumes for a ballet company in Norway. Meza’s work is characterized by his use of light and color, and his paintings can be found in significant collections, including the Museo de Arte Moderno (Museum of Modern Art) in Mexico City and the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York.

Lola Cueto (Mexico City, 1897 - 1978), whose full name was María Dolores Velázquez Rivas, was a writer, puppeteer, painter, printmaker, puppet designer, and cultural promoter. She was part of the first Escuela de Pintura al Aire Libre (Outdoor Painting School) in Santa Anita. In 1919, she married Germán Cueto, an artist with whom she developed an educational project that became part of the cultural initiatives organized by the Ministry of Public Education.

In 1932, she co-founded the theater companies Rin Run, El Nahual, and El Colorín. Throughout her career, she curated significant collections of Mexican folk art, most notably her collection of traditional toys. She actively participated in groups such as the Liga de Escritores y Artistas Revolucionarios (League of Revolutionary Writers and Artists) and in puppet theater companies like El Renacuajo Paseador.

Her work spanned a wide range of disciplines, including the creation of tapestries, masks, puppets, and traditional toys, establishing herself as a key figure in the promotion of art and culture in Mexico.

Jesús Guerrero Galván (Tonalá, Jalisco, 1910 – Cuernavaca, Morelos, 1973) was born into humble origins and studied drawing with José Vizcarra in Guadalajara. At the age of fifteen, he traveled to the United States with his mother, where he worked at a food stall. It was here that some customers discovered his talent and helped him obtain a scholarship to the National School of Fine Arts in San Antonio, Texas.

Upon returning to Guadalajara, he joined the Banderas de Provincia group, composed of artists and intellectuals concerned with the issues facing rural regions in Mexico. This experience led him to meet influential figures such as Raúl Anguiano, José Guadalupe Zuno, and Agustín Yañéz. Despite his financial struggles, Guerrero Galván completed his studies at the Escuela Libre de Pintura (Free School of Painting) and later moved to Mexico City, where he focused on painting murals as part of the nationalist movement, which viewed art through a revolutionary lens.

Later in his career, he became a resident teacher at the University of New Mexico, where he created the fresco mural The Union of the Americas Associated for Freedom in 1943. His work is known for its frequent portrayal of women and children, exceptional drawing skill, and the vibrant use of color, often highlighted by light tones.

José María García Narezo (Madrid, Spain, 1922 – Mexico, 1994) was born into a family deeply involved in culture and politics. His mother, Amelia Narezo Dragonné, was the sister of Mexican painter Irene Narezo, and his father, Gabriel García Maroto, was a prominent figure. From a young age, García Narezo was immersed in this environment. Despite being born deaf and mute, there was a strong interest in his education and development. In 1926, his father took him to see an exhibition in Madrid that showcased Mexcian works of the Escuela de Pintura al Aire Libre (Outdoor Painting School).

The family moved to Mexico in 1928, where his father fled to New York due to a conflict with Diego Rivera. As a result, the education of José and his siblings was entrusted to Francisco Díaz de León, who ran the aforementioned school. However, José did not enter the institution until 1931. In 1934, the family returned to Spain, where his father founded the Escuela para Sordomudos IMAGEN (School for the Deaf and Mute). It was here that García Narezo would fully develop his artistic identity, and later recieved mentorship from the painter and illustrator Máximo Ramos López.

His debut as an artist came in 1937, when he exhibited his works Guerra y Crimen, Postguerra y Esfuerzo, and Triunfo at the Spanish Pavilion of the 1937 International Exhibition in Paris, which addressed the Spanish Civil War. In 1938, at the age of 17, he again sought refuge in Mexico, where he would remain for the rest of his life. García Narezo's art was heavily influenced by his experiences and the historical events of his time.

Lucio López-Rey (Madrid, 1904 - New York, 1957) had a strong interest in visual arts from an early age. In 1934, he was appointed artistic director of the newspaper Política in his hometown, where he published several cartoons. A year later, he held his first solo exhibition at the Gallery of Fine Arts in Madrid, but because of the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, he had to emigrate to France, where he expanded his artistic expressions to ceramics. 

Due to the political climate in Europe, he moved to Denmark, then to Finland, and in 1942, he relocated to Mexico. His work combined caricaturistic elements with European avant-garde art influences, as well as aspects of the Mexican landscape. These elements, along with his rich use of color, generated interest in various artistic circles in Mexico. In 1945, he moved to the United States, where he held several solo exhibitions in New York and Washington.

Macrina Krauss García (Córdoba, Veracruz, 1914 - 2001) studied at the Escuela Nacional de Artes Plásticas (National School of Fine Arts) and took private watercolor lessons with Ignacio Beteta. She was the wife of José Torres Palomar, another artist whose work is unfortunately also forgotten and whose whereabouts are currently unknown. Krauss's work primarily consisted of still lifes, cupboards, village landscapes, and portraits.

She was a member of the Frente Nacional de Artes Plásticas (National Front of Fine Arts) and the Salón de la Plástica Mexicana (Salon of Mexican Fine Art). She participated in the First Frida Kahlo Salon in 1956, held at the Gallery of Contemporary Art of Lola Álvarez Bravo, and frequently exhibited at the Romano Gallery and the Misrachi Gallery.

Despite having participated in numerous group exhibitions and having several solo shows, her work has not been studied in depth, which contributes to the obscurity of her artistic legacy.

Rafael Balderrama Carrington (active in the 20th century), whose life before becoming an artist little is known, began his studies in 1927 at the Escuela Libre de Escultura y Talla Directa (Free School of Sculpture and Carving). He enrolled at the Escuela Nacional de Bellas Artes (National School of Fine Arts) a year later, which was renamed  Escuela Central de Artes Plásticas (Central School of Fine Arts) in 1929, following Diego Rivera's appointment as director. He began studying under Rufino Tamayo during this period.

His first group exhibition took place in 1930 at the Galería de Arte Moderno (Modern Art Gallery), founded by Carlos Mérida and Carlos Orozco Romero in the lower level of the current Palacio de Bellas Artes (Palace of Fine Arts). He participated in the exhibition titled 8 Young Painters, where he presented his work The Dancer, which won an internal student competition. During this period, he was also a student of photographer Agustín Jiménez. He later succeeded Francisco Gutiérrez as director of the Escuela de Pintura al Aire Libre (Open-Air Painting School) in Taxco. Additionally, he was a member of the Liga de Escritores y Artistas Revolucionarios (League of Revolutionary Writers and Artists) and participated in the exhibition organized by María Izquierdo titled Propago de la deuda petrolera (Propagation of the Oil Debt).

In 1949, he exhibited collectively in the Primera exposición de 500 obras de arte (First Exhibition of 500 Works of Art) at the Galería de Arte Moderno led by Francisco Rodríguez Caracalla. During the 1950s, he devoted himself to teaching art, setting aside his painting practice. Although his career was not extensive, his work remains significant.

Rafael Muñoz López (Mexico City, 1914 – 2004) was a professor of drawing and advertising illustration at the Escuela Nacional de Artes Plásticas (National School of Fine Arts) and a founding member of the Sociedad para el Impulso de las Artes Plásticas (Society for the Promotion of Fine Arts). He participated in the 1943 Salón de Pintura (Painting Salon), organized by the Galería de Arte y Decoración (Gallery of Art and Decoration).

In 1950, he took part in the group exhibition La Ciudad de México interpretada por sus pintores (Mexico City Interpreted by Its Painters), organized by the newspaper Excélsior. He participated in the 1954 Miguel Hidalgo Contest, exhibiting work at the Cervantes Library. He also painted a mural in an old house in Comitán, Chiapas, now home to the Rosario Castellanos Cultural Center.

Muñoz López’s work shows a certain kinship with that of Roberto Montenegro, with whom he collaborated on the illustration of the book Trajes Populares en México (Traditional Costumes in Mexico), published by the Galería de Arte Misrachi in 1961. In November 1962, he held a solo watercolor exhibition at the Galería del Instituto de Arte de México (Gallery of the Mexican Art Institute), a medium in which he developed an extensive body of work.

Raúl Anguiano (Guadalajara, 1915 – Mexico City, 2006) was a painter, illustrator, printmaker, and muralist. His artistic production went through different stages: he was a surrealist from 1938 to 1942, a realist during the 1940s, an expressionist from 1957 to 1966, and worked in kinetic art from 1962 to 1969, before returning to realism in 1970. He began his painting studies with José Vizcarra and Juan Ixca Farías at the Escuela Libre de Pintura (Free School of Painting) in Guadalajara, where he joined the group Pintores Jóvenes de Jalisco (Young Painters of Jalisco).

In 1934, he moved to Mexico City to continue his artistic training. He was a founding member of the Liga de Escritores y Artistas Revolucionarios (League of Revolutionary Writers and Artists) and, established the Taller de Gráfica Popular (Workshop for Popular Graphic Art) in 1938 along with Leopoldo Méndez, Alfredo Zalce, and Pablo O’Higgins. In 1941, he emigrated to New York to study at The Art Students League. Upon returning to Mexico, he became a professor at La Esmeralda (School of Painting, Sculpture, and Printmaking), and in 1948, he collaborated in the creation of the Sociedad para el Impulso de las Artes Plásticas (Society for the Promotion of Fine Arts). 

As a painter, his most important work, La espina, illustrated the free textbooks published by the Secretaría de Educación Pública (Ministry of Public Education) for many years. In the field of illustration, he created Expedición a Bonampak. Diario de un viaje and Mawarirra. Un viaje al mundo mágico de los huicholes. His mural works can be found in the State of Mexico, Mexico City, Puebla, Morelia, Jalisco, and Los Angeles, California. He had a fruitful artistic career and was considered the last Mexican muralist.

Raúl Uribe Castillo (Concepción, Chile, 1912 – unknown) arrived in Mexico in 1936 to study easel painting and muralism, where he met his eventual partner, María Izquierdo. 

In 1939, he joined the editorial committee of the magazine Arte en México, directed by Benigno Rivas Cid, where his first works created in Mexico were published. In 1940, he participated in the painting, printmaking, and sculpture exhibition at the Galería de Arte de la Universidad de México (University of Mexico Art Gallery). Three years later, in 1943, he held a solo exhibition at the Galería Arte y Decoración (Art and Decoration Gallery). In 1947, he exhibited a series of eight oil portraits at the restaurant La Vie Parisienne.

He separated from María Izquierdo in 1953. Later, he collaborated with the magazine Impacto, where he had a section titled Galería de Arte de Impacto (Gallery of Impactful Art). Uribe Castillo lived in Mexico until the 1960s, when he returned to Chile and married a Chilean painter.

Ricardo Martínez (Mexico City, 1918 - 2009) followed in the footsteps of his brother, sculptor Oliverio Martínez. He lived in the United States but returned to Mexico in 1932 after the Great Depression, where he enrolled at UNAM (National Autonomous University of Mexico) to study law, a career he abandoned to dedicate himself to painting. He studied at the Academia de San Carlos (San Carlos Academy of Fine Arts) although he soon became self-taught. 

In 1943, he met Federico Cantú, who taught him techniques such as tempera, gouache, and watercolor, and introduced him to the Galería de Arte Mexicano (Mexican Art Gallery), where he befriended Juan Soriano, Günther Gerzso, and Luis García Guerrero. In addition, he designed sets and illustrated books such as Muerte sin fin by José Gorostiza and Pedro Páramo by Juan Rulfo. He received several awards, including the Moinho Santista Acquisition Award at the São Paulo Biennale (1964), the Medal of Mexico City in 2008, and was named emeritus artist by the Fondo Nacional para la Cultura y las Artes (National Fund for Art and Culture) in 1993. Martínez stood out for his pictorial style, which eliminated decorative elements and focused on the human figure, aiming for a monumental representation which in turn reduced physiognomic features, thus revaluing drawing.

Roberto Montenegro (Guadalajara, Jalisco, 1881 – Mexico City, 1968), a pioneer of modern art in Mexico, was a contributor of illustrations and vignettes to Revista Moderna and a promoter of Mexican culture. From a young age, he was interested in drawing and studied with both Félix Bernardelli and his uncle Guadalupe Montenegro. In 1904, he moved to Mexico City, where he enrolled at the Academia de San Carlos (San Carlos Academy of Fine Arts), becoming a disciple of Julio Ruelas, Antonio Fabrés, and Germán Gedovius. 

In 1905, he received a scholarship to study in Europe, where he learned printmaking in Madrid and was exposed to post-Impressionism and cubism in Paris. He returned to Mexico in 1920, where he painted murals commissioned by José Vasconcelos and promoted Mexican folk art. He was an art critic and organized exhibitions, including Twenty Centuries of Mexican Art at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York. He published Pintura mexicana (1800-1860), a book on the artistic production of Jalisco. His work, which combined symbolism and surrealism, led him to collaborate with Marc Chagall as a set designer for the ballet Aleko. In 1967, he received the National Arts Award and passed away in 1968.

Luis Nishizawa (San Mateo, Iztacalco, Estado de México, 1918 - Toluca, 2014), was a prominent mexican painter, engraver, sculptor, stained glass artist, and muralist, known for his connection to nature and the landscape. He began his career as a jeweler and continued his art studies at the age of 24 at the Academia de San Carlos (San Carlos Academy of Fine Arts), where he graduated in 1947. He was a professor at the Escuela Nacional de Artes Plásticas (National School of Fine Arts) at UNAM (National Autonomous University of Mexico) and a founding member of the Taller de Integración Plástica (Workshop for Art Integration). 

His work evolved from the Mexican School of Painting to a unique form of expressionism and abstraction, experimenting with various techniques such as oil, ink, and tempera. He exhibited his work in important national and international museums, including the Tokyo Museum of Art and the Museo de Arte Moderno (Museum of Modern Art) in Mexico City. He received awards such as the Fine Arts Medal and the National Prize for Arts and Sciences. He was recognized as an emeritus professor and awarded an honorary doctorate by UNAM, as well as the Sacred Dragon Treasure honor from the Japanese government. In 1992, the government of the State of Mexico inaugurated the Luis Nishizawa Flores Museum-Workshop to honor his artistic and teaching legacy.

Antonio Rodríguez Luna (Córdoba, Spain, 1910 - 1985) initially trained as a ceramicist in Seville and later studied at the Escuela de Bellas Artes (School of Fine Arts) in Seville and the Academia de San Fernando (San Fernando Academy) in Madrid. In 1923, he published his manifesto La Tierra, joined the Surrealist movement, and later transitioned to social realism. His anti-Franco activities forced him into exile after the Spanish Civil War, leading him to reside in Mexico and New York. In 1929, he held his first exhibition in Madrid and co-founded the group Los Constructivistas alongside Joaquín Torres García. During the war, he collaborated with the Republican side. After spending time in a refugee camp, he moved to Mexico, where he received a Guggenheim Foundation grant and worked as a professor at the Escuela Nacional de Artes Plásticas (National School of Fine Arts). 

In 1982, the Antonio Rodríguez Luna Museum was inaugurated in his hometown, though he did not return to Spain until the last period of his life, three years later. His work evolved from constructivism and avant-garde styles to abstract expressionism, with notable pieces from the 1940s featuring bulls, cats, and walls.

Emilio Baz Viaud (Mexico City, 1918 - 1991) mastered and exploited the effects of dry brush and trompe l’oeil with a finely honed drawing technique. His works demonstrate the patience and skill derived from his meticulous handling of brushes and materials. He entered the Academia de San Carlos (San Carlos Academy of Fine Arts) in 1938, studying under Manuel Rodríguez Lozano, a notable critic of Diego Rivera and a painter who diverged from Mexican Muralism.

Born into a family of artists, Baz Viaud stood out as a modern painter, drawing parallels to North American urban realism and the enigmas of metaphysical painting. He was influenced by his brother, Ben-Hur Baz, a prominent illustrator. In the 1940s, he held his first solo exhibition at Galería Clar Decor (Clar Decor Gallery) on Paseo de la Reforma, followed by another in San Miguel de Allende. Subsequently, he retreated to a monastery in Cuernavaca, where he explored abstraction — a change some attribute to a congenital eye condition that hindered his use of the dry brush technique.

Baz Viaud resurfaced in the 1980s with group exhibitions at the Museo de Arte Moderno (Museum of Modern Art), under Teresa del Conde’s direction: Siete pintores de la Escuela Mexicana (1984) and Emilio y Ben-Hur Baz Viaud (1987). His works reflect deliberate artistic choices, aligning him with contemporaries such as Gabriel Fernández Ledezma, Agustín Lazo, and Juan Soriano.

Francisco Castro Pacheco (Mérida, Yucatán, 1918 - 2013) began his artistic training at the Escuela de Bellas Artes (School of Fine Arts) in his hometown. He later taught at the Escuela Popular de Arte (Popular School of Art) and was one of the founders of the Escuela Libre de Artes Plásticas (Free School of Fine Arts) in Yucatán, where he expanded his work to include printmaking.

In the 1940s, he moved to Mexico City, where he worked as a teacher and ventured into the editorial world as an illustrator. He was later appointed director of the Escuela Nacional de Pintura, Escultura y Grabado La Esmeralda (National School of Painting, Sculpture and Printmaking). Over the course of his life, Castro Pacheco participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions in Mexico, Cuba, and the United States, and his ongoing training took him to various countries in Europe.

In the 1960s, he received various awards in his home state, including the Painting Award from the Salón de la Plástica Mexicana (Salon of Mexican Fine Art) and was commissioned to create mural works for the Governmental Palace of Yucatán. His artistic production spans painting, printmaking, ceramics, enamels, sculpture, and mural works.

Flora Martínez Bravo (Toluca, State of Mexico, 1925 - San Luis Potosí, 2022) was a prominent artist whose extensive body of work was primarily developed in the suburbs, while remaining connected to the Mexican realist movement. During her childhood, her family relocated to San Luis Potosí, where she studied painting under mentors such as Raúl Gamboa and Lorenzo Guerrero, among others. She participated in traveling exhibitions and held several solo shows. Additionally, she was the niece of renowned photographer Manuel Álvarez Bravo.

Martínez Bravo interacted with notable figures like Rufino Tamayo and David Alfaro Siqueiros, the latter offering her a position on his team of assistants. In the 1960s, her work evolved toward a geometric style, although she never entirely abandoned the realism that defined her artistic practice.

Luis Marín Bosqued (Zaragoza, Spain, 1909 - 1987) began his artistic training at the Escuela de Artes y Oficios  (School of Arts and Crafts) in Madrid and later at the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando (Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernarndo). In Madrid, he worked as an independent arts instructor until the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War. During the conflict, he served as General Commissioner in Santander until 1939, when he exiled in Mexico.

In Mexico, Marín Bosqued worked as a painting and drawing instructor in various institutes and schools in Mexico City. His work was characterized by the use of contrasts between solid colors and black tones, and he became a highly sought-after portraitist. He created portraits of prominent heads of state, as well as artists and intellectuals of his era.

In 1972, he returned to Spain, where he became a member of the Real Academia de Nobles y Bellas Artes de San Luis de Zaragoza (Royal Academy of Noble and Fine Arts of San Luis de Zaragoza). Throughout his life, he received numerous awards, and his work was showcased in exhibitions honoring his artistic career.

Mary Martín (Salamanca, Spain, 1927 - Mexico City, 1982) was a Spanish artist who exiled to Mexico in 1939 after the Spanish Civil War. Her career was distinguished by her focus on drawing and her political commitment. Her artistic training was influenced by her father, a painter and teacher, as well as prominent exiled masters such as Roberto Fernández Balbuena and José Bardasano. She studied at the Escuela Nacional de Pintura, Escultura y Grabado La Esmeralda (National School of Painting, Sculpture and Printmaking) from 1944 to 1948. 

Throughout her career, she worked as a painter, muralist, printmaker, and illustrator, contributing to newspapers, magazines, and books. She assisted Diego Rivera on important murals and was a member of the Taller de Gráfica Popular (Workshop for Popular Graphic Art) and the Salón de la Plástica Mexicana (Salon of Mexican Fine Art). Her work, marked by a deep empathy for the human figure, showcased a feminist approach, especially in her depictions of female nudes, reflecting both the intimacy and complexity of women. Committed to social justice, her communist and feminist ideals were integrated into her art, aiming to highlight the struggles and rights of women and the working classes.

Naya Márquez (Tehuacán, Puebla, 1916 – 2007), whose real name was Esperanza Garci-Crespo Villada, was the daughter of renowned chemist José Garci-Crespo, who discovered the springs of the famous sparkling water known as Tehuacán, named after its place of origin. In 1951, inspired by her interactions with visual artists such as Alfredo Zalce, Olga Costa, and others, she began a self-taught journey in painting.  Contemporary painters of her time referred to her as "the woman without age."

In 1955, she participated with two works in the exhibition Mexican Paintings and Prints, organized by the Frente Nacional de Artes Plásticas (National Front of Fine Arts), where she also served as curator. This traveling exhibition toured Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, and East Germany. In January 1957, she took part in the group exhibition Mexican Art: Painting, Sculpture, and Printmaking, held at the Cámara Nacional de la Industria de la Transformación (National Chamber of the Transformation Industry).

Unfortunately, much of her work is now considered lost, as she painted primarily for herself and felt too shy to publicly showcase her work, which prevented her from holding solo exhibitions. The National Museum of Warsaw holds one of Márquez's oil paintings in its collection, titled The Charcoal Vendor.

Olga Costa (Leipzig, Alemania, 1913 - Guanajuato, 1993), born into an Ukrainian family as  Olga Kostakowsky Fabrikant, was a prominent painter and cultural manager. She arrived in Mexico with her family in 1925, fleeing political persecution due to her father's socialist activism, for which he was imprisoned and later granted amnesty. She studied at the Escuela Nacional de Artes Plásticas (National School of Fine Arts), where she was a student of Carlos Mérida and Emilio Amero. 

In 1935, she married the painter José Chávez Morado, with whom she shared her political and artistic commitment. She was the founder of important cultural spaces such as the Galería Espiral (Spiral Gallery) in 1941 and the Sociedad de Arte Moderno (Modern Art Society) in 1943. Along with Chávez Morado, she founded the Museo del Pueblo de Guanajuato (Museum of the Town of Guanajuato) in 1979. She was awarded the National Prize for Arts and Sciences in 1990, and her tireless work in art management has awarded her high honors in various museums and festivals, testifying her lasting legacy in Mexican culture.

Her pictorial work, characterized by vibrant use of color and themes such as landscapes, still lifes, and portraits, is part of important collections; among the most emblematic pieces is Vendedora de frutas (1951), housed at the Museo de Arte Moderno (Museum of Modern Art).

Roberto Fernández Balbuena (Madrid, 1890 – Mexico City, 1966) was a painter and architect who specialized in portraiture, landscape, still life, and genre painting. He was an honorary member of the *Salones de Otoño* (Autumn Salons) in Madrid, deputy director of the Prado Museum in 1938 under Pablo Picasso’s leadership, president of the *Junta del Tesoro Artístico de Madrid* (Board of the Artistic Treasure of Madrid), and a delegate of the *Ministerio de Instrucción Pública* (Ministry of Public Instruction).

He studied at the *Escuela de Bellas Artes de San Fernando* (School of Fine Arts of San Fernando) and at the *Escuela Oficial de Arquitectura* (Official School of Architecture) in Madrid. Later, he expanded his education in Rome as a scholarship recipient. He began working as an architect alongside his brother Gustavo. Fernández Balbuena submitted his works to the National Fine Arts Exhibitions, earning a third-place medal in 1924 and a second-place medal in the 1926 edition for a painting which is now part of the Prado Museum’s collection. During his exile, he relocated to Mexico, where he worked as both a painter and an architect, contributing to projects such as markets and housing developments.

Rosendo Soto (Guadalajara, Jalisco, 1912 – Mexico City, 1994) belonged to the second generation of the Mexican School of Painting, also known as the Mexicanist movement. In 1927, he began his studies at the *Escuela Libre de Escultura y Talla Directa* (Free School of Sculpture and Carving), directed by Guillermo Ruíz, and later attended the *Escuela Central de Artes Plásticas* (Central School of Fine Arts) from 1928 to 1931, where he was taught by Carlos Mérida, Rufino Tamayo, and Diego Rivera. 

In 1932, he enlisted in cultural missions and traveled through the states of Coahuila, Nayarit, Guerrero, Querétaro, and Mexico, leaving behind some mural works as a testimony from this chapter. In 1933, he joined the *Liga de Escritores y Artistas Revolucionarios* (League of Revolutionary Writers and Artists). In 1949, he founded the *Taller de Integración Plástica* (Workshop for Art Integration) of the INBAL (National Institute of Fine Arts and Letters) and, in 1952, the *Frente Nacional de de Artes Plásticas* (National Front of Fine Arts) alongside Francisco Goitia, José Chávez Morado, Xavier Guerrero, and other artists. In 1962, he became the deputy director of the *Escuela de Diseño y Artesanías* (Design and Handicrafts School) of the INBAL. At this institution, he was able to fully develop his roles as a designer and teacher. 

Due to his great talent and creativity, Rosendo Soto participated in more than fifty collective and solo exhibitions at the *Salón de la Plástica Mexicana* (Salon of Mexican Fine Art), where he received the Tlacuilo Award in 1990. The great legacy of this space is closely linked to the work and memory of Rosendo Soto.

María Marín Preciado (Ciudad Guzmán, Jalisco, 1897–1990) was a painter and printmaker whose career reflects the role of women in the arts of her time. She was the sister of Lupe Marín, wife of Diego Rivera; Isabel Marín, anthropologist and wife of Wolfgang Paalen; and the sculptor Francisco Arturo Marín, making her part of a family deeply connected to the cultural sphere.

She began her career as a printmaker in Guadalajara in 1922, as a member of the Pequeños Grabadores (Little Printmakers) group led by Carlos Orozco Romero, who would later become her husband. In 1953, she transitioned into painting, establishing this new phase of her career. From 1953 to 1968, she participated in various collective exhibitions organized by the Salón de la Plástica Mexicana (Salon of Mexican Fine Art) as well as in collective exhibitions organized by the Galería Plástica de México (México's Fine Arts Gallery), which was owned by her daughter, Gabriela Orozco. Gabriela also played a key role in promoting art as the director of the Salón de la Plástica Mexicana and other cultural spaces. Known also as María Marín de Orozco, she left behind an artistic legacy that, though subtle, it reflects the significant contributions of women to Mexican art in the 20th century.