Joaquín Clausell

Joaquín Quirico Marcelino Clausell Traconis was a Mexican lawyer and political activist, who was predominantly known for his Impressionist paintings of Mexican land and seascapes. He was born and raised in the city of Campeche, where he began drawing as a young student. However, he had to flee the city for Mexico's capital after confronting Campeche's governor in public. In the capital, he made his way to law school, despite poverty, but continued his opposition to the political status quo, landing him in jail, interrupting his studies. After he finished his classes he began to work as a journalist in opposition newspapers when in 1893 a series of fictionalized accounts of army campaigns against the Tarahumara people landed him back in jail. Escaping his captors and with help, he fled to the US and Paris. In the latter city, he discovered Impressionism which he admired but did not begin to produce his own paintings until well after he returned to Mexico.