Conrado Walter Massaguer y Diaz was a Cuban

artist An artist is a person engaged in an activity related to creating art, practicing the arts, or demonstrating the work of art. The most common usage (in both everyday speech and academic discourse) refers to a practitioner in the visual arts o ...

, political satirist, and magazine publisher. He is considered a student of the

Art Nouveau Art Nouveau ( ; ; ), Jugendstil and Sezessionstil in German, is an international style of art, architecture, and applied art, especially the decorative arts. It was often inspired by natural forms such as the sinuous curves of plants and ...

. He was the first

caricaturist A caricaturist is an artist who specializes in drawing caricatures. List of caricaturists * Abed Abdi (born 1942) * Abril Lamarque (1904–1999) * Al Hirschfeld (1903–2003) * Alex Gard (1900–1948) * Alexander Saroukhan (1898–1977) * Alfre ...

in the world to

broadcast Broadcasting is the data distribution, distribution of sound, audio audiovisual content to dispersed audiences via a electronic medium (communication), mass communications medium, typically one using the electromagnetic spectrum (radio waves), ...

his art on

television Television (TV) is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. Additionally, the term can refer to a physical television set rather than the medium of transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...

. He was first caricaturist to exhibit on

Fifth Avenue Fifth Avenue is a major thoroughfare in the borough (New York City), borough of Manhattan in New York City. The avenue runs south from 143rd Street (Manhattan), West 143rd Street in Harlem to Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village. The se ...

. He was the first caricaturist in the world to exhibit his caricatures on

wood Wood is a structural tissue/material found as xylem in the stems and roots of trees and other woody plants. It is an organic materiala natural composite of cellulosic fibers that are strong in tension and embedded in a matrix of lignin t ...

. He, and his brother Oscar, were the first magazine publishers in the world to use photolithographic printing. Conrado_Walter_Massaguer_self_portrait

He created the magazine ''

Social Social organisms, including human(s), live collectively in interacting populations. This interaction is considered social whether they are aware of it or not, and whether the exchange is voluntary or not. Etymology The word "social" derives fro ...

'' with his brother Oscar to showcase Cuban artistic talent. The duo later created the magazine ''Carteles'', which became for a period the most popular magazine in

Cuba Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...

, which was purchased by

Miguel Ángel Quevedo Miguel Ángel Quevedo y de la Lastra (July 31, 1908 – August 12, 1969) was the publisher and editor of ''Revista Bohemia, Bohemia'', the most popular news-weekly in Cuba and the oldest Latin America, known for its political journalism and edit ...

in 1953. In his life, he met and drew caricatures of

Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), also known as FDR, was the 32nd president of the United States, serving from 1933 until his death in 1945. He is the longest-serving U.S. president, and the only one to have served ...

Walt Disney Walter Elias Disney ( ; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American animator, film producer, voice actor, and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the Golden age of American animation, American animation industry, he introduced several develop ...

Albert Einstein Albert Einstein (14 March 187918 April 1955) was a German-born theoretical physicist who is best known for developing the theory of relativity. Einstein also made important contributions to quantum mechanics. His mass–energy equivalence f ...

, the

King of Spain The monarchy of Spain or Spanish monarchy () is the constitutional form of government of Spain. It consists of a Hereditary monarchy, hereditary monarch who reigns as the head of state, being the highest office of the country. The Spanish ...

, and many others. In sum total, he was the author of more than 28 thousand caricatures and drawings.

Ernest Hemingway Ernest Miller Hemingway ( ; July 21, 1899 – July 2, 1961) was an American novelist, short-story writer and journalist. Known for an economical, understated style that influenced later 20th-century writers, he has been romanticized fo ...

once had to refrain himself from punching Massaguer in the face after the artist drew an unflattering caricature of him. The dictator

Gerardo Machado Gerardo Machado y Morales (28 September 1869 – 29 March 1939) was a general of the Cuban War of Independence and President of Cuba from 1925 to 1933. Machado was elected president in 1924 as the leader of the Liberal Party, a moderate reform ...

, however, did not punch Massaguer for his own unflattering caricature - he had the artist deported. He was one of the most internationally renowned Cuban artists of his day, and his art is still regularly featured in galleries across the

Western Hemisphere The Western Hemisphere is the half of the planet Earth that lies west of the Prime Meridian (which crosses Greenwich, London, United Kingdom) and east of the 180th meridian.- The other half is called the Eastern Hemisphere. Geopolitically, ...

and

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

Early life

Massaguer was born on October 18, 1889, in

Cárdenas, Cuba San Juan de Dios de Cárdenas, or simply Cárdenas (), is a municipality and city in the Matanzas Province of Cuba, about by air by roadeast of Havana. Cárdenas is the 15th most-populated Cuban city and the second most populated one not being ...

. In 1892, his family moved to

Havana Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center. When the

Cuban War of Independence The Cuban War of Independence (), also known in Cuba as the Necessary War (), fought from 1895 to 1898, was the last of three liberation wars that Cuba fought against Spain, the other two being the Ten Years' War (1868–1878) and the Litt ...

broke out, Massaguer's family escaped the country. From 1896 to 1908, he lived in Mérida, Mexico. However, during this time, his parents enrolled him in the

New York Military Academy New York Military Academy (NYMA) is a Private school, private, College-preparatory school, college preparatory, boarding school in Cornwall, New York, and one of the oldest List of United States military schools and academies, military schools i ...

, where he stayed during school years. In 1905, after graduating the military academy, he briefly attended the San Fernando school in Havana, where he was tutored by Ricardo de la Torriente and

Leopoldo Romañach Leopoldo Romañach y Guillen (1862–1951) was a Cuban painter and educator. He was born in Sierra Morena, Corralillo, in the province of Las Villas, Captaincy General of Cuba, Spanish Empire (now Cuba). Romañach was a professor of color theo ...

. In 1906, less than a year later, he returned to the family home in Mexico.

Career as artist

Early career

While living in

Yucatán Yucatán, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Yucatán, is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, constitute the 32 federal entities of Mexico. It comprises 106 separate municipalities, and its capital city is Mérida. ...

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

, Massaguer published his first caricatures in local newspapers and magazines. These included ''La Campana, La Arcadia,'' and the ''Diario Yucateco.'' In 1908, he moved back to Havana. After returning to the island in 1908, Massaguer began mingling with Havana's aristocratic circles, forming close friendships with some of the city's most powerful and influential men, as well as winning the favor of many women who were quickly charmed by him. Massaguer, largely self-taught, honed his style using the avant-garde techniques he studied from the European and American magazines that were widely available in Cuba at the time. El_Figaro_1909

He started drawing for ''

El Fígaro El Fígaro was a Cuban magazine published in Havana from 1885 to 1929, with irregular publications continuing until 1933. It began as a sports magazine, but evolved into a more general interest consumer magazine and became "the driving force of t ...

'', and was featured prominently on the cover in 1909. After two years of refining his craft,

Havana Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.North American North America is a continent in the Northern and Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Caribbean Sea, and to the sou ...

tourists to stay in the city during the winter months. Notable figures like

Armando Menocal Armando José Isabel García-Menocal y García-Menocal (1863 – 1942), commonly known as Armando Menocal, was a Cuban painter and educator. Biography and career Menocal was born on July 8, 1863, in Havana, Captaincy General of Cuba, Spanish ...

, Rodríguez Morey, Jaime Valls, and others also entered the competition. The jury was particularly impressed by the modern execution and creative solution of one piece, signed by Massaguer, who was relatively unknown at the time. The jury deliberations caused a great controversy. The prize was ultimately awarded to the Galician painter Mariano Miguel, who had recently married the daughter of

Nicolás Rivero Nicolas or Nicolás may refer to: People Given name * Nicolas (given name) Mononym * Nicolas (footballer, born 1999), Brazilian footballer * Nicolas (footballer, born 2000), Brazilian footballer Surname Nicolas * Dafydd Nicolas (c.1705–1774), ...

, the wealthy owner of the conservative newspaper ''

Diario de la Marina ''Diario de la Marina'' was a newspaper published in Cuba, founded by Don Araujo de Lira in 1839. ''Diario de la Marina'' was Cuba’s longest-running newspaper. Its roots went back to 1813 with ''El Lucero de la Habana'' (The Havana Star) and ...

''. Although Massaguer received only an honorable mention, the fraud scandal caused such an uproar that his name quickly entered the public spotlight, and he became an overnight sensation. In 1910, he became co-owner of the advertising agency ''Mercurio'', with Laureano Rodríguez Castells. At Mercurio, he led the Susini cigar campaign, and earned substantial wealth. Massaguer has been described as a restless man, in both mind and body. After earning enough money from his art to begin traveling, he was almost always doing so. He constantly traveled between New York City and Havana, Mexico and France, Europe and the Americas. In 1911, his reputation among the Havana socialites solidified when he organized his own first public caricature exhibit, and also the first Caricature Salon ever held in the Americas, hosted at Athenaeum of Havana (the Ateneo), and the Círculo de La Habana. Other exhibitors here included Maribona, Riverón, Portell Vilá, Valer, Botet, Barsó, García Cabrera, Carlos Fernández, Rafael Blanco, and Hamilton de Grau. Massaguer visits Broadway Shadowland 1920-06

Massaguer visits Broadway Shadowland 1920-06

In 1912, in the New York American Journal, he published his first

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street ** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...

drawings. From 1913 to 1918, he was an editor for ''Gráfico''.

Social

In 1916, he created the magazine ''

'' with his brother,

Oscar H. Massaguer Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People and fictional and mythical characters * Oscar (given name), including lists of people and fictional characters named Oscar, Óscar or Oskar * Oscar (footballer, born 1954), Brazilian footballer J ...

. ''Social's'' contributors included Guillén Carpentier, Chacón y Calvo,

Enrique José Varona Enrique José Varona (April 13, 1848, Puerto Principe, Cuba – November 13, 1933, Havana) was a Cuban author. He was educated in Puerto Principe, and began his literary career in 1864 as a contributor to reviews. In 1874, he moved to Havana, div ...

and others. ''Social'' has been described as Massaguer's great love in the magazine industry, and was the property that historians say he cared the most about. ''Social'' was an innovative magazine, being the first magazine in the world to use a modern printing process called photolithographic printing. ''Social'' set cultural trends, not only in the fashion of Cuba, but in art, politics, and Cuban identity. ''Social'' catered to a certain aesthetic in Cuba - that of the sophisticated elite socialite - but Massaguer would also use this magazine to ridicule and jibe against that same class of society when he found their personalities worthy of his contempt. In ''Social'', readers could find a variety of content, including

short stories A short story is a piece of prose fiction. It can typically be read in a single sitting and focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents, with the intent of evoking a single effect or mood. The short story is one of the old ...

avant-garde In the arts and literature, the term ''avant-garde'' ( meaning or ) identifies an experimental genre or work of art, and the artist who created it, which usually is aesthetically innovative, whilst initially being ideologically unacceptable ...

poetry, art reviews, philosophical essays, and serialized novels, as well as articles on

interior design Interior design is the art and science of enhancing the interior of a building to achieve a healthier and more aesthetically pleasing environment for the people using the space. With a keen eye for detail and a Creativity, creative flair, an ...

haute couture (; ; French for 'high sewing', 'high dressmaking') is the creation of exclusive custom-fitted high-end fashion design. The term ''haute couture'' generally refers to a specific type of upper garment common in Europe during the 16th to the ...

, and fashion. Occasionally, the magazine also featured reports on

sports Sport is a physical activity or game, often competitive and organized, that maintains or improves physical ability and skills. Sport may provide enjoyment to participants and entertainment to spectators. The number of participants in ...

such as

motor racing An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert one or more forms of energy into mechanical energy. Available energy sources include potential energy (e.g. energy of the Earth's gravitational field as exploited in hydroelectric power gene ...

rowing Rowing is the act of propelling a human-powered watercraft using the sweeping motions of oars to displace water and generate reactional propulsion. Rowing is functionally similar to paddling, but rowing requires oars to be mechanically a ...

tennis Tennis is a List of racket sports, racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent (singles (tennis), singles) or between two teams of two players each (doubles (tennis), doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket st ...

, and

horse riding Equestrianism (from Latin , , , 'horseman', 'horse'), commonly known as horse riding ( Commonwealth English) or horseback riding (American English), includes the disciplines of riding, driving, and vaulting. This broad description includes the ...

. The cultural promotion efforts of both Massaguer and

Emilio Roig de Leuchsenring Emilio Roig de Leuchsenring was a prominent Cubans, Cuban journalist whose work occupied the first half of the twentieth century, prior to the Cuban Revolution. He was also a historian, who has published over one hundred books on history. He creat ...

are evident in the magazine. Notably, this period overlaps with their involvement in the

Minorista Group The Minorista Group, or Retail Group (Spanish: Grupo Minorista), was an avant-garde group of Cuban artists, writers, philosophers, poets, and others collectively called the "vanguard of the intelligencia," active during the 1920s that had an enor ...

, which was then at the forefront of the country's intellectual life. Many contributors were devoted members of the group, leading some experts to consider ''Social'' as the cultural voice of the Minoristas. One of the features of ''Social'' magazine was its section called "Massa Girls," which was a play on his own name, and pronounced with a glottal 'g' in a similar fashion to the letter in Massaguer. Massaguer drew women as independent and free-thinking, and never drew the woman celebrity as a caricature of herself, but as a free agent surrounded by caricatures. However, Massaguer himself has been described as a womanizer in his personal life, and hesitant to fully embrace every facet of women's liberation. In 1916, he also established la Unión de Artes Gráficas and the advertising agency Kesevén Anuncios. The art critic Bernardo González Barroa wrote:

“Massaguer has solved the problem of working hard, living comfortably off what his art produces and not missing any artistic, sporting or social event. His broad, childish laugh, of a carefree individual who carries his luck hidden in a pocket, appears everywhere for the moment, disguising the pranks of pupils that lurk, mock and, finally, flash with satisfaction at finding the characteristic point after having analyzed a soul... Massaguer's personality is beginning to solidify now. He has been the best-known and most popular caricaturist for a long time, but his technique had not reached the security, the mastery of values that he presents in his latest works, which is very natural and explainable”

Carteles

In 1919, Massaguer and his brother created the magazine '' Carteles''. '' Carteles'' gained the widest circulation of any magazine in Latin America, and the most popular magazine in Cuba for a time, until that title was claimed by

Revista Bohemia Bohemia Magazine (''Revista Bohemia''), is a Spanish language illustrated magazine based in Havana, Havana, Cuba, that was founded in 1908. It is the oldest general consumer magazine in Cuba, and the oldest magazine in all of Latin America. It pr ...

. ''Carteles'' remained in print until July 1960. This magazine showcased Cuban commerce, art, sports, and social life before the revolution. In 1924, ''Carteles'' took a more political turn, with articles criticizing Gerardo Machado's government. It became a prime example of the humor and graphic design employed by artists like Horacio Rodríguez Suria and Andrés García Benítez to reflect on Cuban society and politics. Esteemed writers such as

Alejo Carpentier Alejo Carpentier y Valmont (, ; December 26, 1904 – April 24, 1980) was a Cuban novelist, essayist, and musicologist who greatly influenced Latin American literature during its famous "boom" period. Born in Lausanne, Switzerland, of French ...

and

also contributed to its pages. In 1953, ''Carteles'' was purchased by

, the director of ''Bohemia.'' In 1921, Massaguer created the Primera Exposición de Humor (the First Humor Exhibition).

Cinelandia

In January, 1921, Massaguer and his brother collaborated to create yet another magazine, ''Cinelandia'', a magazine focused on

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood ...

and cinema lifestyle. Massaguer acted as Artistic Director of this magazine, where he set the artistic tone, selected the photographs, managed the layout, tone, and visual balance of the magazine. ''Cinelandia'' was more visually motivated, and was not focused on the written word. This magazine heavily featured Hollywood actors and celebrities of the day, far more than it did those celebrities of Mexico or Argentina - even though in this era, the three different film industries were relatively comparable in size. In April, 1921, ''Cinelandia'' quoted the Argentinian

Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...

professor, Enrique Gil:

" atin Americanmerchants have the movies as guides. They have discovered that the demand for merchandise manufactured in the United States is very great after an American movie has been shown in the locality and therefore they are very interested in knowing the dates of the exhibitions of the movies made by the main manufacturers icof the United States... I am very optimistic about the future of commercial relations between the two Americas, because due to your disinterested orth Americanand idealistic icattitude during the war, you have in your favor a psychological predisposition and interest on the part of the inhabitants of South America."

In 1923, Massaguer published the book ''Guignol'', which was a collection of his art. In the introduction to ''Guignol,'' Massaguer wrote:

“Sometimes a tight shoe, a flowery buttonhole, a peculiar movement when walking, reveals the soul of the model... The tendency of those of us who follow the modern school of caricature is to simplify by exaggeration”

Marriage and New York studio

Caricaturists_drawing_Conrado_Walter_Massaguer

In 1924, he moved to

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

with his wife, the niece of

Mario García Menocal Aurelio Mario Gabriel Francisco García Menocal y Deop (December 17, 1866 – September 7, 1941) was the 3rd President of Cuba, serving from 1913 to 1921. His term as president saw Cuba's participation in the Allies in World War I. Early li ...

. The two spent their honeymoon at the

Waldorf Astoria New York The Waldorf Astoria New York is a luxury hotel and condominium residence in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City, New York. The structure, at 301 Park Avenue between 49th and 50th Streets, is a 47-story, Art Deco landmark des ...

. Massaguer then established a studio in the city. While living in New York, he worked on the magazines; * ''

Life Life, also known as biota, refers to matter that has biological processes, such as Cell signaling, signaling and self-sustaining processes. It is defined descriptively by the capacity for homeostasis, Structure#Biological, organisation, met ...

'' * ''

The New Yorker ''The New Yorker'' is an American magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. It was founded on February 21, 1925, by Harold Ross and his wife Jane Grant, a reporter for ''The New York T ...

'' * '' Collier’s'' * '' Vanity Fair'' * ''

American Magazine ''The American Magazine'' was a periodical publication founded in June 1906, a continuation of failed publications purchased a few years earlier from publishing mogul Miriam Leslie. It succeeded ''Frank Leslie's Popular Monthly'' (1876–1904), ...

'' * ''

Redbook ''Redbook'' is an American women's magazine that is published by the Hearst Communications, Hearst magazine division. It is one of the "Seven Sisters (magazines), Seven Sisters", a group of women's service magazines. It ceased print publicatio ...

'' * ''

Cosmopolitan Cosmopolitan may refer to: Internationalism * World citizen, one who eschews traditional geopolitical divisions derived from national citizenship * Cosmopolitanism, the idea that all of humanity belongs to a single moral community * Cosmopolitan ...

'' * ''

Literary Digest ''The Literary Digest'' was an American general interest weekly magazine published by Funk & Wagnalls. Founded by Isaac Kaufmann Funk in 1890, it eventually merged with two similar weekly magazines, ''Public Opinion'' and '' Current Opinion''. ...

'' * ''

Sunday World The ''Sunday World'' is an Irish newspaper published by Independent News & Media. It is the second largest selling "popular" newspaper in the Republic of Ireland, and is also sold in Northern Ireland where a modified edition with more stories r ...

'' * '' Town and Country''

Return to Havana

In 1925, Massaguer returned to Havana, and he settled down for a while, and he did not leave Cuba for several years. Massaguer's daughter, Conchita, was born in 1927. In 1927, he published ''Sobremesa sabática,'' which featured

, Fernando Ortiz, José Manuel Acosta,

Juan José Sicre Juan José Sicre (born Juan José Sicre Velez; 1898 – 1974) was a Cuban sculptor. His most famous sculpture is of José Martí y Pérez (1958) (the José Martí Memorial) in the Plaza de la Revolución in Havana. Sicre graduated from an art a ...

, Jaime Valls Díaz,

Rubén Martínez Villena Rubén Agnelio Martínez Villena (December 20, 1899 – January 16, 1934) was a Cuban people, Cuban writer, lawyer, and Cuban Revolution, revolutionary leader. He was the ringleader of the Protest of the Thirteen, the first protest of the Cuban in ...

Juan Marinello Juan Marinello Vidaurreta (2 November 1898 – 27 March 1977) was a Cuban Communist intellectual, writer, poet essayist, lawyer and politician. He was one of the most prominent Cuban intellectual figures of the interwar period and post revolutiona ...

Jorge Mañach Jorge Mañach y Robato (February 14, 1898, Sagua La Grande, Cuba – June 25, 1961, San Juan, Puerto Rico) was a Cuban writer and attorney, considered among the most distinguished of his time. Education His studies of José Martí, the 'Apostle ...

José Antonio Fernández de Castro José Antonio Fernández de Castro (January 18, 1887 in Havana – July 30, 1951 in Havana) was a Cuban journalist and writer active in the first part of the 20th century. He was a member of the Minorista Group, the Veterans and Patriots Move ...

, Antonio Gattorno Águila,

José Zacarías Tallet José Zacarías Tallet (18 October 1893 – 21 December 1989) was a Cuban writer. He was born in Matanzas and died in Havana Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port ...

. In 1929, Massaguer exhibited at the

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

art gallery “Jean Charpentier.” He also toured Europe. Also in 1929, at the

League of Nations The League of Nations (LN or LoN; , SdN) was the first worldwide intergovernmental organisation whose principal mission was to maintain world peace. It was founded on 10 January 1920 by the Paris Peace Conference (1919–1920), Paris Peace ...

Geneva Geneva ( , ; ) ; ; . is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland and the most populous in French-speaking Romandy. Situated in the southwest of the country, where the Rhône exits Lake Geneva, it is the ca ...

, he acted as the art editor for the

King Features Syndicate King Features Syndicate, Inc. is an American content distribution and animation studio, consumer product License, licensing and print syndication company owned by Hearst Communications that distributes about 150 comic strips, columnist, newspape ...

Exile

In the late 1920s, Massaguer made the mistake of creating an unflattering

caricature A caricature is a rendered image showing the features of its subject in a simplified or exaggerated way through sketching, pencil strokes, or other artistic drawings (compare to: cartoon). Caricatures can be either insulting or complimentary, ...

of the Cuban dictator

- and was deported from the country. From 1931 to 1933, he was exiled in the United States, and spent time writing for publications regarding the American government's response to the

Great Depression The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...

. While he was living in exile, Machado was overthrown in the Cuban Revolution of 1933. Massaguer resumed semi-regular travels back to Cuba, but primarily maintained his life in New York until 1937. Group_at_the_Bacardi_Club_with_Pappy_Valentine

Group_at_the_Bacardi_Club_with_Pappy_Valentine

He particularly enjoyed being free again to travel to Cuba in order to legally purchase and partake in the alcoholic beverages of Havana's clubs - whereas

Prohibition in the United States The Prohibition era was the period from 1920 to 1933 when the United States prohibited the production, importation, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages. The alcohol industry was curtailed by a succession of state legislatures, an ...

ended in the same year as the fall of Machado. While on his excursions to the nightclubs of Cuba, especially to the Bacardi Club - hidden inside of the Bacardi Building - he continued to mingle with Havana socialites and other notables. While in exile, in 1933, he illustrated the book ''People Worth Talking About,'' by

Cosmo Hamilton Cosmo Hamilton (29 April 1870 – 14 October 1942), born Henry Charles Hamilton Gibbs, was an English playwright and novelist. He was the brother of writers Arthur Hamilton Gibbs, Francis William Hamilton Gibbs, Helen Katherine Hamilton Gibbs an ...

. He was visited regularly and interacted with the New York social elite, and many Cuban exiles, including

Pablo de la Torriente Brau Pablo de la Torriente Brau ( San Juan de Puerto Rico, December 12, 1901 – Majadahonda, near Madrid, Spain, December 19, 1936) was a Cuban writer, journalist and soldier. He was a correspondent in Spain, writing for the Mexican newspaper '' ...

and Teresa Casuso Morín. Not only did he draw

, it has been written that both Disney and

James Montgomery Flagg James Montgomery Flagg (June 18, 1877 – May 27, 1960) was an American artist, comics artist, and illustrator. He worked in media ranging from fine art painting to cartooning, but is best remembered for his political posters, particularly his ...

greatly admired Massaguer, and the three cartoonists attended social occasions together.

Later life

While he did return to Cuba in 1937, he still maintained his travels to New York, and painted a large graphic mural at the Cuba Pavilion of the

1939 New York World's Fair The 1939 New York World's Fair (also known as the 1939–1940 New York World's Fair) was an world's fair, international exposition at Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in Queens, New York City, New York, United States. The fair included exhibitio ...

. However, this mural - a depiction of the island of Cuba as a

rumba The term rumba may refer to a variety of unrelated music styles. Originally, "rumba" was used as a synonym for "party" in northern Cuba, and by the late 19th century it was used to denote the complex of secular music styles known as Cuban rumba ...

dancer, and

playing the drum beat that Cuba was dancing to. This mural caused President

Federico Laredo Brú Federico Laredo Brú (; April 23, 1875, Remedios, Las Villas, Cuba – July 7, 1946, Havana, Cuba) was an attorney and served as President of Cuba from 1936 to 1940. He was married to Leonor Gomez-Montes. Laredo Bru was a Colonel in the Cuban ...

to have the exhibit immediately destroyed. The Cuban President said that the exhibit had damaged Cuba's reputation in America by slandering F.D.R. From 1945 to 1949, he worked as a caricaturist for the newspaper '' Información''. In 1952, he became the public relations director of the

n Institute of Tourism. In 1959, with the conclusion of the

Cuban Revolution The Cuban Revolution () was the military and political movement that overthrew the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista, who had ruled Cuba from 1952 to 1959. The revolution began after the 1952 Cuban coup d'état, in which Batista overthrew ...

, the government of

Fulgencio Batista Fulgencio Batista y Zaldívar (born Rubén Zaldívar; January 16, 1901 – August 6, 1973) was a Cuban military officer and politician who played a dominant role in Cuban politics from his initial rise to power as part of the 1933 Revolt of t ...

was overthrown by

Fidel Castro Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz (13 August 1926 – 25 November 2016) was a Cuban politician and revolutionary who was the leader of Cuba from 1959 to 2008, serving as the prime minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976 and President of Cuba, president ...

and the

26th of July Movement The 26 July Movement (; M-26-7) was a Cuban vanguard revolutionary organization and later a political party led by Fidel Castro. The movement's name commemorates the failed 1953 attack on the Moncada Barracks in Santiago de Cuba, part of an at ...

. The Castro regime offered him "opportunities" to draw the heroes of the Revolution. One of Massaguer's most famous works from this period is one of

Camilo Cienfuegos Camilo Cienfuegos Gorriarán (; 6 February 1932 – 28 October 1959) was a Cuban revolutionary. One of the major figures of the Cuban Revolution, he was considered second only to Fidel Castro among the revolutionary leadership. The son of An ...

Che Guevara Ernesto "Che" Guevara (14th May 1928 – 9 October 1967) was an Argentines, Argentine Communist revolution, Marxist revolutionary, physician, author, Guerrilla warfare, guerrilla leader, diplomat, and Military theory, military theorist. A majo ...

, and

and a dove perched on one of their shoulders. In 1962, complaining that his hands were tired and shaking, Massaguer retired from art. He donated 20 albums of his work to the National Archives of Cuba. In 1965, Massaguer published his autobiography. Massaguer died on October 18, 1965, in Havana.

Second life of artworks

Cuba

In 1989, on the Centenary of his birth, the Cuban Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes featured an exhibition on Massaguer, and brought the artist to life once again in the communist country. In 1998, the

University of Havana The University of Havana (UH; ) is a public university located in the Vedado district of Havana, the capital of Cuba. Founded on 5 January 1728, the university is the oldest in Cuba, and one of the first to be founded in the Americas. Originall ...

created the "Conrado Massaguer Chair of Graphic Arts," and holds regular exhibitions of his works. His works have also been featured at the

Palacio de los Capitanes Generales Palacio (''palace'') is a Spanish language, Spanish habitational name. It may have originated from many places in Spain, especially in Galicia (Spain), Galicia and Asturias. Notable people with the surname include: *Agustina Palacio de Libarona (1 ...

, the City Museum of Havana, and the Cárdenas Art Gallery.

United States

The Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum maintains stewardship of certain historical works of Massaguer that caricatured the President in an unflattering manner during the Great Depression. For some time, the historian Vicki Gold Levi maintained the largest private collection of Massaguer's works in the United States, until 2019, when she donated dozens of Massaguer's artworks to the Wolfsonian art museum at

Florida International University Florida International University (FIU) is a public research university with its main campus in Westchester, Florida, United States. Founded in 1965 by the Florida Legislature, the school opened to students in 1972. FIU is the third-largest univ ...

. That summer, the Wolfsonian featured several Massaguer's work in several collections; * ''Cover Girls'' * ''Caricaturas'' Several of his original works have since been successfully auctioned on the art market. In 2022, Massaguer's work was showcased by the Cuban Cultural Center of New York.{{Cite AV media , url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxHTWnqZ_vQ , title=THE ART OF MASSAGUER , date=2022-11-05 , last=Cuban Cultural Center of New York , access-date=2024-10-07 , via=YouTube

References

Publishers (people) 20th-century Cuban writers 1889 births 1965 deaths Magazine editors Magazine publishers (people) Cuban humorists Cuban satirists Cuban caricaturists Cuban political artists