Rosario Cabrera

Rosario Cabrera (born Rosario Cabrera López; 5 June 1901 – 30 December 1975) was a modern Mexican artist who was active in the early 20th century. The Museum of Mexican Women Artists has called her the "first great Mexican painter of the twentieth century". After experiencing life and artistic culture in Europe from November 1924 to January 1927, possible through a grant given to her by the Secretaría de Educación Pública, Cabrera returned to Mexico to work in the Open Air Painting Schools between 1928 and 1931.

Education activism Cabrera continued to defend the Open Air Painting Schools during the late 1920s as they faced criticism from the members of educational and artistic communities in Mexico. In 1928, her continued passion for activism was seen in her involvement with the avant-garde ¡30-30! group, formed in protest at the appointment of a new director at the National School of Fine Arts. Such a decision was seen as a threat to centers of alternative art instruction, including the open air painting schools. As a collective, the movement produced five manifestos; Cabrera’s signature was found on the fifth, which attempted to oust the director of the Academy at the time.

Artistic style According to scholars such as Eduardo Espinosa Campos, Cabrera's works are seen as drifting away from the work of her contemporaries. She chose to explore portraiture rather than landscapes, gathering inspiration from the Impressionist, Post-Impressionist and Fauvist movements. This can be seen through her use of broad brush strokes and unnatural colors, as well as her decision to portray the "spirit" and emotions of her subjects, rather than a more realistic depiction. For many of her works, Cabrera applied oil paints on canvas in a way that imitated the look of frescoes. Although she did not choose to paint realistic figures, her sculptures were very much focused on realism and conveying accurate human anatomy.