Jean Baptiste Vermay
(1784-1833)

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Though born in France, Vermay became a leader in colonial Cuban painting. The son of a carpenter, Vermay studied under the great painter Jaques-Louis David.

Vermay was the first director of the San Alejandro Academy, and served there from 1818-1833 when he died of cholera during an epidemic. Vermay came to live in Cuba due to a recommendation by Goya. At the time, Cuba was still a Spanish colony, and eventually due to Goy's influence, Vermay was named the official painter to the king and settled there. Upon his arrival in Cuba, Vermay was well-received by the local Creoles (he was French, after all) and began a legacy of art education in Cuba.

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Familia Manrique DeLara
 

During his lifetime, Vermay mainly painted frescoes, murals and other interior and exterior decorations on cathedrals and Havana landmarks. However, he was also known for his portraiture of Cuban aristocracy. Vermay was famous for his paintings of important people of the time, and these paintings may be privately owned in Cuba or elsewhere in the world.

Today, his work is housed in museums all over Cuba. Three of Vermay's paintings hang at “El Templete”, a famous Cuban landmark where the city of Havana was supposedly founded. In general, Vermay is one of the most visible colonial Cuban artists in historical landmarks in all of Cuba. Because of Vermay's work and influence, native Cuban artists were able to finally have a voice and a place of learning within their own country. He created the foundation for nearly two centuries of Cuban painters to find a place of their own in the art world. In a sense, his dedication to art education is what also helped to create a name for himself—otherwise, Vermay may have been lost among the other European painters of his time.

Think that you may own a colonial-style painting by Jean Baptiste Vermay? We would be glad to help you authenticate a piece of art by this great Cuban artist.

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