Jose Cisneros
Jose Cisneros is a leading historical illustrator of the Southwest. Although he was well-versed in painting, wood carving, writing, and muralism, his primary focus was recording the history of the Southwest border region through his illustrations. Based on his close study of history, Cisneros' work consists of thousands of illustrations depicting the Spanish heritage of Mexico and the American Southwest. Known for his unique crosshatching technique, the artist described his romantic imagery and theatrical style as "Indian Baroque."
Cisneros was born in Villa Ocampo, Durango, Mexico, in 1910 and grew up during the Mexican Revolution. Although largely self-taught, he crossed the Rio Grande to attend the Lydia Patterson Institute in El Paso, Texas. In the 1930s, he began his illustration career and introduced himself to Tom Lea, which led to his long-term collaboration with Carl Hertzog, a famous publisher.
In the late 1940s, his passion for superior quality and historical accuracy led to the inclusion of his work in several prize-winning books. He continued thereafter to produce an astonishing amount of work illustrating and decorating over two hundred books, including some authored by his friend J. Frank Dobie. He became a citizen of the United States in 1948 and remained a resident of El Paso, Texas. Among his numerous honors, two are the most fitting. In 1979, the Daughters of the American Revolution bestowed upon him their Americanism Award, and in 1991, King Joan Carlos I of Spain invested him with the title of Knight of the Order of Civil Merit for his contributions to the understanding of Spanish history through his art.