José Cisneros: Iconic El Paso artist dies
EL PASO -- José Cisneros, the modest, self-taught artist knighted by the king of Spain and celebrated in Texas, Mexico and across the United States, died Saturday.
Cisneros, regarded as a legend for his vivid pen-and-ink sketches of Spanish conquistadores, Franciscan missionaries, frontier settlers and Apache warriors, was 99.
He died of natural causes at an El Paso foster-care home where he was admitted two weeks ago, according to his family.
Born in Villa Ocampo, Durango, in 1910, Cisneros had only a fifth-grade education but was revered as a historian with a sketch pad, an artist who illustrated more than 300 historical books and publications. Stories of the United States-Mexico border and the Southwest burst alive with Cisneros' touch and meticulous attention to detail.
Often described as a world-class illustrator, Cisneros built an international reputation with pen-and-ink illustrations of Mexican, American and Spanish history. He was best known for detailed pen-and-ink drawings of horses and Spanish horsemen that he often described as his favorite subjects.
News of Cisneros' death triggered widespread tributes and condolences. The artist was so modest that he said he never had his work appraised.
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Cisneros, regarded as a legend for his vivid pen-and-ink sketches of Spanish conquistadores, Franciscan missionaries, frontier settlers and Apache warriors, was 99.
He died of natural causes at an El Paso foster-care home where he was admitted two weeks ago, according to his family.
Born in Villa Ocampo, Durango, in 1910, Cisneros had only a fifth-grade education but was revered as a historian with a sketch pad, an artist who illustrated more than 300 historical books and publications. Stories of the United States-Mexico border and the Southwest burst alive with Cisneros' touch and meticulous attention to detail.
Often described as a world-class illustrator, Cisneros built an international reputation with pen-and-ink illustrations of Mexican, American and Spanish history. He was best known for detailed pen-and-ink drawings of horses and Spanish horsemen that he often described as his favorite subjects.
News of Cisneros' death triggered widespread tributes and condolences. The artist was so modest that he said he never had his work appraised.