Jesús Helguera (1910-1971)

Mexican painter Jesús Enrique Emilio de la Helguera Espinoza, was born to spanish economist Alvaro Garcia Helguera and Maria Espinoza Escarzarga in Chihuahua, Mexico.

He lived his childhood in Mexico City and later moved to Córdoba in the state of Veracruz.

His family fled from the Mexican Revolution to Ciudad Real, Castilla la Nueva, Spain and thereafter moved to Madrid.

Jesús first gained interest in the arts during primary school and would often be found wandering the halls of the Del Prado Museum.

At the age of 14, he was admitted to the Escuela Superior de Bellas Artes and later studied at the Academia de San Fernando.

Career

Jesús first worked as an illustrator at the Editorial Araluce working on books, magazines and comics with many of his published works done in gouache. He became a professor of visual arts at a Bilboa Art Institute at the age of 18 and worked for magazines such as Estampa.

Helguera was forced to move back to the Mexican state of Veracruz due to the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War and following economic crisis. Upon his arrival, mural making was en vogue and he was hired by Cigarrera la Moderna, a tobacco company, to produce calendar artwork printed by Imprenta Galas de Mexico.

Much of his work reflected his own fascination with Aztec Mythology, Catholicism, pin-up girls and the diverse Mexican landscape. His paintings showed an idealized Mexico and it was his romantic approach that gave his paintings the heroic impact that eventually made him famous.

In 1940, he created what is arguably the most famous amongst his paintings, La Leyenda de los Volcanes, which was inspired by the legend of Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl.

Jesús Helguera | La Leyenda de los Volcanes

It was later purchased by Ensenanza Objectiva, a producer of didactic images for schools. Many of his paintings would later be reproduced in a variety of different calendars and cigar boxes reaching households and businesses throughout Mexico.

Helguera continued to paint privately and illustrate for various clients until his death on December 5, 1971. Jesus Helguera continues to be celebrated in Mexico, Spain and the United States. | © Wikipedia

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Jesús Helguera è stato un pittore Messicano.

Jesús ha lavorato per la prima volta come illustratore di libri, riviste e fumetti presso l'Editoriale Araluce.

È diventato professore di arti visive presso al Bilboa Art Institute all'età di 18 anni e ha lavorato per riviste come Estampa.

Helguera è stata costretta a tornare nello stato messicano di Veracruz a causa dello scoppio della Guerra Civile Spagnola e in seguito alla crisi economica.

Al suo arrivo, la realizzazione di murales era in voga ed è stato assunto da Cigarrera la Moderna, un'azienda di tabacco, per produrre opere d'arte per calendari stampate da Imprenta Galas de Mexico.

Gran parte del suo lavoro rifletteva il fascino della mitologia azteca, il cattolicesimo, le ragazze pin-up ed il variegato paesaggio messicano.

I suoi dipinti mostrano un Messico idealizzato ed è stato il suo approccio romantico a dare ai suoi dipinti l'impatto eroico che alla fine lo ha reso famoso.

Nel 1940, creò quello che è probabilmente il più famoso tra i suoi dipinti, "La Leyenda de los Volcanes", ispirato alla leggenda di Popocatépetl e Iztaccíhuatl.

Successivamente è stata acquistata da Ensenanza Objectiva, produttrice di immagini didattiche per le scuole.

Molti dei suoi dipinti sarebbero stati successivamente riprodotti in una varietà di calendari e scatole di sigari diversi raggiungendo famiglie e aziende in tutto il Messico.

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