Rafael Palacios (artist)
Encyclopedia
Rafael D. Palacios was a prolific and highly successful free-lance artist and illustrator specializing in book jackets and maps for major U.S. publishers in the mid- and late 20th century. Among his notable maps are those in most of Isaac Asimov
's history books and in Bruce Catton
's Civil War
books.
, capital of the Dominican Republic
. When he was five months old his family moved to Puerto Rico
. He was educated in the Puerto Rican schools, but as an artist was largely self-taught. In 1928 he did his first fine arts sketches while in San Juan
. He made something of a specialty of Afro-Caribbean portraiture. He made a brief visit to the United States
in 1931. In 1937 he was chosen, with two others, to represent Puerto Rico at the second annual Exhibition of American Art in New York City
. In 1938 he also exhibited at the Delphic Studios in New York, where he presented his first display of Afro-Antillean art (a one-man show of his gouaches). That same year he also exhibited at the first Newspaper Artists' Exhibition in New York, and in several one-man shows at the Athenaeum in San Juan and at the University of Puerto Rico
.
Beginning in 1938 Palacios worked for American newspapers as an illustrator and translator of comic strips. In the mid-1940s, he shared a studio with several other freelance artists and did a number of covers and endpapers for Bantam Books
. His endpapers had a strong cartographic quality and served a similar purpose with Dell Books' mapbacks.
In 1948, Palacios was chosen to produce the maps for Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower
's memoir
, Crusade in Europe
.
Isaac Asimov
Isaac Asimov was an American author and professor of biochemistry at Boston University, best known for his works of science fiction and for his popular science books. Asimov was one of the most prolific writers of all time, having written or edited more than 500 books and an estimated 90,000...
's history books and in Bruce Catton
Bruce Catton
Charles Bruce Catton was an American historian and journalist, best known for his books on the American Civil War. Known as a narrative historian, Catton specialized in popular histories that emphasized colorful characters and historical vignettes, in addition to the basic facts, dates, and analyses...
's Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
books.
Biography
Of Spanish-Puerto Rican parentage, Palacios was born in Santo DomingoSanto Domingo
Santo Domingo, known officially as Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city in the Dominican Republic. Its metropolitan population was 2,084,852 in 2003, and estimated at 3,294,385 in 2010. The city is located on the Caribbean Sea, at the mouth of the Ozama River...
, capital of the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
. When he was five months old his family moved to Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
. He was educated in the Puerto Rican schools, but as an artist was largely self-taught. In 1928 he did his first fine arts sketches while in San Juan
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
. He made something of a specialty of Afro-Caribbean portraiture. He made a brief visit to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1931. In 1937 he was chosen, with two others, to represent Puerto Rico at the second annual Exhibition of American Art in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. In 1938 he also exhibited at the Delphic Studios in New York, where he presented his first display of Afro-Antillean art (a one-man show of his gouaches). That same year he also exhibited at the first Newspaper Artists' Exhibition in New York, and in several one-man shows at the Athenaeum in San Juan and at the University of Puerto Rico
University of Puerto Rico
The University of Puerto Rico is the state university system of Puerto Rico. The system consists of 11 campuses and has approximately 64,511 students and 5,300 faculty members...
.
Beginning in 1938 Palacios worked for American newspapers as an illustrator and translator of comic strips. In the mid-1940s, he shared a studio with several other freelance artists and did a number of covers and endpapers for Bantam Books
Bantam Books
Bantam Books is an American publishing house owned entirely by Random House, the German media corporation subsidiary of Bertelsmann; it is an imprint of the Random House Publishing Group. It was formed in 1945 by Walter B. Pitkin, Jr., Sidney B. Kramer, and Ian and Betty Ballantine...
. His endpapers had a strong cartographic quality and served a similar purpose with Dell Books' mapbacks.
In 1948, Palacios was chosen to produce the maps for Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
's memoir
Memoir
A memoir , is a literary genre, forming a subclass of autobiography – although the terms 'memoir' and 'autobiography' are almost interchangeable. Memoir is autobiographical writing, but not all autobiographical writing follows the criteria for memoir set out below...
, Crusade in Europe
Crusade in Europe
Crusade in Europe is a book by General Dwight D. Eisenhower published by Doubleday in 1948. Maps were provided by Rafael Palacios.Crusade in Europe is a personal account by one of the senior military figures of World War II...
.
Works illustrated
- The Gift Horse (1945) by Frank GruberFrank GruberFrank Gruber may refer to:*Frank Gruber , American writer*Frank Gruber , entrepreneur and new media journalist...
(Bantam) - The Fog Comes (1946) and Dead Center (1946) by Mary CollinsMary CollinsMary Collins, PC is a former Canadian politician.She was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 1984 federal election as the Progressive Conservative Member of Parliament for Capilano, British Columbia....
(Bantam) - Crusade in EuropeCrusade in EuropeCrusade in Europe is a book by General Dwight D. Eisenhower published by Doubleday in 1948. Maps were provided by Rafael Palacios.Crusade in Europe is a personal account by one of the senior military figures of World War II...
(1948) by Dwight D. EisenhowerDwight D. EisenhowerDwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
(Doubleday) - The Well of the UnicornThe Well of the UnicornThe Well of the Unicorn is a fantasy novel by Fletcher Pratt, the first of his two major fantasies. It was first published in hardcover by William Sloane Associates in 1948, under the pseudonym George U. Fletcher...
(1948) by Fletcher PrattFletcher PrattMurray Fletcher Pratt was an American writer of science fiction, fantasy and history, particularly noted for his works on naval history and on the American Civil War.- Life and work :... - The Singing Wilderness (1957) by Sigurd F. OlsonSigurd F. OlsonSigurd F. Olson was an American author, environmentalist, and advocate for the protection of wilderness. For more than thirty years, he served as a wilderness guide in the lakes and forests of the Quetico-Superior country of northern Minnesota and northwestern Ontario...
- The Long Death: The Last Days of the Plains Indians (1964) by Ralph K. Andrist (21 maps)
- The Habsburgs (1966) by Dorothy Gies McGuigan (Doubleday)
- Asimov's Guide to the BibleAsimov's Guide to the BibleAsimov's Guide to the Bible is a work by Isaac Asimov that was first published in two volumes, covering the Old Testament in 1967 and the New Testament in 1969. He combined them into a single 1296-page volume in 1981...
(1967, 1969) by Isaac AsimovIsaac AsimovIsaac Asimov was an American author and professor of biochemistry at Boston University, best known for his works of science fiction and for his popular science books. Asimov was one of the most prolific writers of all time, having written or edited more than 500 books and an estimated 90,000... - Asimov's Guide to ShakespeareAsimov's Guide to ShakespeareAsimov's Guide to Shakespeare, by Isaac Asimov, vols I and II , ISBN 0-517-26825-6; Maps by the artist Rafael Palacios.This work gives a short guide to every Shakespeare play, and also his two epic poems...
(1970) by Isaac Asimov - Great Cities of the Ancient WorldGreat Cities of the Ancient WorldGreat Cities of the Ancient World is a 1972 history book by L. Sprague de Camp, published by Doubleday. A translation into German has also appeared....
(1972) by L. Sprague de CampL. Sprague de CampLyon Sprague de Camp was an American author of science fiction and fantasy books, non-fiction and biography. In a writing career spanning 60 years, he wrote over 100 books, including novels and notable works of non-fiction, including biographies of other important fantasy authors...
(Doubleday)