Background
Frade (birth name: Ramón Frade León ) was born in the town of Cayey, Puerto Rico on May 12, 1875. His father died when he was just a child and his mother gave him up for adoption.
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Ramon Frade
Edit ProfileEducation
During his youth he traveled to Europe and studied art in Italy.
Career
His realist style of painting captured the life of the typical Puerto Rican in the twentieth century. The Laforja family moved back to Spain and in 1885, immigrated and settled down in Santo Domingo the capital of the Dominican Republic. He was also a pupil of the Dominican artist Luis Desangles (1861 -1940s) The subjects of his first paintings were the Roman ruins in Italy.
From (1896 to 1902), Frade traveled to the Dominican Republic and Cuba where he painted scenes of the main colonial cities.
Frade painted portrayals of the life of the Puerto Rican campesinos (country people). What is considered as his masterwork, "El Pan Nuestro de Cada Dia" (our Daily Bread) (1905), represents a "jibaro" farmer carrying plantains.
In his painting he shows what is an old barefooted man who is poor but proud, serious, dignified, clean. This "jibaro" is supposed to represent Puerto Rico at the beginning of the century.
Other works by Frade include: "Louisiana Planchadora" (The ironing lady) (1948), "El Niño Campesino" (the country child), Ensenada, "Louisiana Poza", "Reverie", and "Louisiana Inmaculada" (The Immaculate) and many others
On November 7, 1954, Ramón Frade died in his hometown at the age of 79 years. His widow donated his art works to the Cayey campus of the University of Puerto Rico. Cayey has honored his memory by naming a school and a public plaza after him.
The Río Piedras campus of the University of Puerto Rico has a gallery with an exhibit of Frade"s art works.
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Born
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Died
November 7, 1954 (aged 79) -
Nationality
United States