Rafael Blanco: Standing at the Edge of Modernity

The National Museum of Fine Arts of Cuba invites the public to the opening of Rafael Blanco at the Threshold of Modernity, taking place on Friday, May 16 at 4:00 p.m., in the temporary exhibition hall on the second floor of the Cuban Art Building.

Rafael Blanco Estera (Havana, 1885–1955) has been described by critics as a trailblazer, revolutionary, paradoxical, illustrious, masterful, relentless—and profoundly Cuban.

His prolific and wide-ranging body of work encompassed caricature, satirical drawing, posters, painting, and sculpture. His creative curiosity also led him to explore animated drawing and the game of chess. Armed with modest technical means—India ink and sepia wash—he crafted a distinctive, unmistakable visual language, sharp and sardonic, that, paired with popular, mythological, and historical titles, struck at the very core of the society of his time.

A master of the portrait caricature, Blanco dissected his subjects with precision, peeling back the masks of everyday life. With just a few brushstrokes, he captured the psychology of the human condition—its passions and vices—through the expressionist distortion of his subjects’ features.

Represented across the full spectrum of his artistic output, Rafael Blanco Estera holds the distinction of being the most featured artist in the museum’s Colección de Cambio de Siglo. He was also among the first Cuban artists to become part of its permanent holdings. This commemorative exhibition—marking the 140th anniversary of his birth and the 70th of his passing—offers a panoramic and renewed perspective on his career, celebrating him as one of the most authentic precursors of modern art in Cuba.

Curated by Delia María López Campistrous, the museum’s Deputy Technical Director, Rafael Blanco at the Threshold of Modernity will remain on view through June 20.

Source: National Museum of Fine Arts of Cuba

Translated by Luis E. Amador Dominguez