Antonio Blanco

Who is Antonio Blanco?

Antonio Maria Blanco was a painter of Spanish and American descent.

Antonio was born in the Ermita district of Manila, Philippines. He initially lived and worked in Florida and California, United States, until he became interested in exploring the islands of the Pacific Ocean that had been a source of inspiration for painters such as Paul Gauguin, José Miguel Covarrubias and others before him. He planned to go to Tahiti, but fate brought him to Hawaii, Japan and Cambodia, where he was a guest of honor of Prince Norodom Sihanouk.

From Cambodia he went to Bali in 1952 and married a traditional Balinese dancer named Ni Ronji in 1953. Bali gave Antonio important elements that he needed to develop his artistic gifts: the beautiful scenery, the dreamlike atmosphere of the environment and the pervasive art and great love.

Settled in Bali, Antonio began to realize his dreams in life and work. He built a house and museum in Ubud which contains many of his paintings.

The land on which the construction was erected was given to Antonio by the King of Ubud Tjokorda Gde Agung Sukawati.