Central Guánica
Artist
Juan Narciso Ríos Rodríguez
(Puerto Rican, 1850-1919)
Dateca.1900-1919
Object number62.0308
Mediumoil on panel
Dimensions20 3/8 x 51 1/4 in. (51.8 x 130.2 cm)
frame: 25 x 55 7/8 x 1 1/4 in. (63.5 x 141.9 x 3.2 cm)
frame: 25 x 55 7/8 x 1 1/4 in. (63.5 x 141.9 x 3.2 cm)
ClassificationsPainting
Credit LineMuseo de Arte de Ponce. The Luis A. Ferré Foundation, Inc.
Gift of Manuel F. Toro
Collections
DescriptionIn the early twentieth century, the Puerto Rican sugar industry experienced a new era with the establishment of large “centrales” (sing. central) financed with foreign capital. The centrales generated large profits for their proprietors. They became instrumental in Puerto Rico’s population growth and economic development, as it occurred in the southern part of the archipelago after the Central Guánica began operations in 1903. In this composition, Ríos painted two smokestacks, indicating the central’s productive activity, and the railroad, used to transport the cane to the mill. On the reverse of the painting’s panel, the name “Juan Ríos Ovalle” is written in black ink, which is a possible erroneous attribution of the work to the artist’s cousin.
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