Fernando Castro Pacheco
(1918 - 2013)

Born in Merida Yucatan on January 26, 1918, he started his training in drawing, painting and modeling in 1934 at the School of Fine Arts in Merida. In 1939 he made his first wood and linoleum cut prints and in 1942 his first lithographs and a series of large format engravings. These last ones were used to decorate schools throughout Merida in form of Murals. In 1943 he traveled to Mexico City, where he took up residence until 1973. During this time he illustrated books, magazines and other publications. Most notable are his illustrations for the poetry books, "La Flauta de Caña" by Fernando Espejo and "Los Pozos Sagrados" by Miguel Alvarez Acosta. He also illustrated the essay "La Llanura Aislada" by Elmer Llanes Marin. Between the years of 1960 through 1972 he was the director of the famed Escuela Nacional de Pintura y Escultura La Esmeralda. In 1963 he traveled to study art in Spain, Italy, France, England, Holland and Belgium. His most important exhibitions were "Retrospectiva de Grabado y Dibujo" at the Museo Nacional de Arte Moderno, Palacio de Bellas Artes, Mexico City 1960, and "360 Dibujos" at the Museo de Arte Moderno of Mexico City in 1972. Some of his most notable mural works include "Temas Infantiles" in Merida Yucatan and the 19 Murals of the Salon de la Historia del Palacio de Gobrierno in Queretaro. In 1972 he was awarded the Eligio Ancona Medal from the University of Yucatan, and in 1995 he was honored by another award from the Congress of the State of Yucatan.