Ezequiel Plaza Garay

EZEQUIEL PLAZA GARAY (Santiago, Chile, 1892–1947).
"Carro," 1938.
Oil on canvas.
Signed and dated.
Measurements: 44 x 52 cm, 65 x 73 cm (frame).

Ezequiel Plaza Garay was a prominent Chilean painter, renowned for his work as a portraitist, landscape painter, and painter of scenes of everyday life. He was part of the so-called Generation of ’13, a group of artists who sought to depict Chile’s social reality and traditions through a realist-inspired style.

Coming from a family of modest means, he showed a talent for drawing from a very young age. He received his first artistic instruction from his uncle Adolfo Plaza and the self-taught artist Pedro Godoy. In 1906, he enrolled at the School of Fine Arts in Santiago, where he studied under prominent teachers such as Pedro Lira, Ricardo Richon Brunet, and the Spanish painter Fernando Álvarez de Sotomayor, who profoundly influenced his artistic development.

His work is characterized by the use of subdued tones and a great ability to portray the human figure. He painted scenes of everyday life, rural landscapes, and portraits of historical and contemporary figures. Among his best-known works are *El Pintor Bohemio*, *Mujer del Pueblo*, and various portraits housed in Chilean museums.

In addition to his work as a painter, he taught at the School of Fine Arts and collaborated with the National Museum of Fine Arts. His legacy establishes him as one of the most important artists in Chilean painting of the first half of the 20th century.