Publisher's Synopsis
The Art Heritage of Puerto Rico: Pre-Columbian to Present was the first major exhibition to survey the five-hundred-year history of Puerto Rican accomplishment in art. Beginning with the clay pottery of the Igneri Indians and the stone sculpture of the Taíno culture, the exhibition included the paintings of important eighteenth- and nineteenth-century artists, the religious folk carvings of the Santeros, and outstanding graphic works and paintings of the present day. As most of the loan objects had never before been permitted to leave the Island, the show provided the first opportunity for all visitors to discover the significant cultural achievement of Puerto Rico which has flourished over many centuries.
The preparation of the exhibition was a joint project of The Metropolitan Museum of Art and El Museo del Barrio. To the Metropolitan's experience in the study and exhibition of works of art was added El Museum del Barrio's special knowledge of the Puerto Rican community and of the Puerto Rican cultural achievement. Martha Vega and her able colleagues at El Museo del Barrio worked closely with the Metropolitan's staff on every aspect of the show, and especially as regards its educational purposes. [This book was originally published in 1974 and has gone out of print. This edition is a print-on-demand version of the original book.]
