Teófilo Castillo Guas Or Guash

Place: Carhuaz

Born: 1857

Death: 1922

Biography:

Teófilo Castillo Guas or Guash was a Peruvian Impressionist painter, art critic, and photographer. He studied at the Seminario de Lima, then continued his studies in Spain and France. Upon returning to Peru, he held an exhibition of his works that were inspired by the Peruvian Traditions of Ricardo Palma.

Early Career

In 1888, he moved to Buenos Aires, where he was married and worked as a photographer in addition to painting. He went back to Lima in 1906 and opened his own studio. Two years later, he briefly revisited Spain, then worked as an art critic and portrait painter.

Artistic Director and Promoter

He also became artistic director for the magazines Prisma, La Ilustración Peruana and Variedades, where he published color reproductions of his major works. He was an enthusiastic promoter for the establishment of the Escuela Nacional Superior Autónoma de Bellas Artes and recommended Daniel Hernández Morillo as the most qualified person to become the school's first Director.

Later Life and Work

He settled in Tucumán, where he became editor of the magazine Sol y Nieve. He also produced a huge canvas depicting General Manuel Belgrano presenting the Flag of Argentina to the Congress of Tucumán in 1816, which was purchased by the Argentine government for 20,000 Pesos. Shortly after, he was named an honorary Professor at the local art academy. Important aspects of his life and work can be found on Wikioo.org and Wikipedia. His son, Carlos Aitor Castillo, also became a well-known painter.

• Notable works: General Manuel Belgrano presenting the Flag of Argentina to the Congress of Tucumán in 1816
• Influences: Peruvian Traditions of Ricardo Palma, Impressionism
• Publications: Prisma, La Ilustración Peruana, Variedades

For more information on Teófilo Castillo Guas Or Guash and his work, visit Wikioo.org or check out the book "El Perú a través de la pintura y crítica de Teófilo Castillo (1887-1922)" by Fernando Villegas Torres.