From San Juan to Paris and Back: Francisco Oller and Caribbean Art in the Era of Impressionism

Francisco Oller (1833–1917) was a Puerto Rican painter whose work was admired on both sides of the Atlantic. A native of San Juan, Oller spent over twenty years in Europe, establishing himself as one of the most distinguished transatlantic painters of his day. Oller participated in the pioneering movements of Realism, Impressionism, and naturalism, and he developed mutually influential relationships with such artists as Camille Pissarro and Gustave Courbet. These artistic trends informed his novel Realist-Impressionist approach, with which he would revolutionize the school of painting in his native Puerto Rico.

In this original and important book, Edward J. Sullivan advances close readings of works spanning Oller’s entire career and offers insights into the development of the Caribbean basin in the nineteenth century. With rich illustrations, From San Juan to Paris and Back recasts Oller as a central figure in nineteenth-century art and restores the significance of Oller’s work and his influence in shaping a uniquely Caribbean aesthetic.