José Cruz Herrera Spanish, 1890-1972

Spanish Orientalist painter

José Cruz Herrera was born October 1, 1890, in La Línea de la Concepción, Andalusia, into a lithographer’s family. He pursued art studies in Cádiz, and in 1915 in Madrid, later earning a scholarship to continue his training in Paris and Rome. By the 1920s, he had gained recognition at Spain’s National Exhibition of Fine Arts.

In 1922, he traveled to Uruguay and Argentina, and in 1929 settled in Casablanca, where he spent much of his working life. Herrera painted Moroccan daily life—bazaars, caravans, and Andalusian women—all infused with a sensitive and humanist perspective rooted in his Andalusian heritage.

He maintained a Paris studio in Neuilly-sur-Seine, and exhibited widely in Madrid, Barcelona, London, Antwerp, and Casablanca. Honored by the Academia de San Fernando, he remained active until his death on August 11, 1972, in Casablanca. A museum in his hometown La Línea now preserves much of his legacy.