Art of the Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic art did not develop a national style until 1865 after independence was declared. Following independence declaration, the basic 19th century European trends started to blend with Dominican subjects of popular mythology, religion, African heritage, and folktales to create a national style of art.
The first huge display of Dominican Republic art was in 1890 in Santo Domingo, at the Salon Artistico. The exhibit was consisted of portraits, landscapes, and copies of renowned European works. Dominican Republic art on Realism and Neo-Impressionism style of art became dominant between the 1920's and 1940's.
During the period of the corrupt despotism of Rafael Trujillo from 1930 to 1961, a dramatic and permanent effect was left on the history of Dominican Republic art. Eager to fabricate a positive public image amidst the increasingly horrific crimes against his own people, the government offered substantial artistic support in the forties, founding the National School of Fine Arts in the year 1942. In 1961 when Trujillo was assassinated, marked the beginning of numerous years of social and political turbulence that ended in the Civil war of 1965. The long-lasting distressed social and political setting has inspired present day artists.
The national identity of the Dominican Republic art is based upon 3 cultural roots of Taino, African and Spanish. Painting is an art of living in the Dominican Republic. It can be seen even in certain typical houses, from the rich to the more modest, are painted with bright and cheerful colors. Painting has developed both in the technique of oil painting and pastel, among others.
Linear Mode
