José Joaquín Tejada

Who was José Joaquín Tejada?

José Joaquín Tejada was a Cuban painter. A native of Santiago de Cuba, his initial studies were funded by a government scholarship, which allowed him to visit Spain, Italy, France, and the Netherlands. After his return to Cuba he visited New York City, where he exhibited in 1894; at the same time he struck up an acquaintance with José Martí.

Later in his career he taught at the Academy of Fine Arts in Santiago de Cuba, and also served as its director. His students included noted Dominican artist Celeste Woss y Gil. His paintings are exhibited at the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes de La Habana in Havana and the Museum of Arts and Sciences in Daytona Beach, Florida.