[Spanish American War] [Puerto Rico] Martinez, Julio Tomas

Colección Martínez: Crónicas, Notas de la Guerra del 1898 en Puerto Rico, Notas de Arte [Cover Title]

San Juan / Arecibo: Imprimio en los Talleres Tipográficos de la Imprenta Venezuela / Coleccion Martinez, 1946. First edition. Folio, 15x11", 84pp. Presented to Kenneth McKlintock, former Secretary of State and President of the Senate of Puerto Rico by the Colección Alvaraz Martinez Cadilla with inscription and signature on title page. Illustrations, facsimiles. Original printed paper wraps, spine chipped, split, and partially perished. Colección Alvaraz Martinez Cadilla stamps throughout, else clean internally. A good copy.

Very uncommon memoir from the innovative 20th century Puerto Rican artist, Julio Tomás Martínez (1878–1954).   Martinez studied art, architecture, and engineering, working in all three fields in Arecibo.  Martinez set himself apart from most Puerto Rican artists of the time with his interest modern idioms, incorporating symbolism, surrealism, and futurism into his works.   He was married to writer and artist, Maria Cadilla, and the two established an art academy in Santurce, San Juan.

This book includes sections on the Spanish American War and represents one of the few published memoirs of a Puerto Rican civilian on that topic.  Martinez describes the role his hometown of Utuado played in the 1898 conflict and describes the American military campaign against Spanish forces on the island.  

This book has a significant association, being presented to then Senator, and later President of the Senate and Secretary of State of Puerto Rico, Kenneth McKlintock (b. 1957).  We can't identify the signature, but it is likely a child or grandchild of Martinez and Cadilla, one of their daughters having married into the Alvarez family.  

OCLC cites just 6 holdings of this important text from an influential figure in early 20th century Puerto Rican history and culture.  


. Item #6958

Price: $250.00