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.