Jose Maria de Servin

1917-1983

Servin was born in La Piedad, Michoacan, Mexico in 1917

When he was only 3 months old and having three older sisters who were nuns, his family escaped the cristero war and found refuge in Guadalajara, Jalisco.

A student of Chucho Reyes at his improvised art school, he became a member of the group "Pintores Jovenes de Jalisco".

Later Jose Maria de Servin collaborated with Merciful Jose Orozco in works of the Legislative Palace of Guadalajara, Jalisco.

Jose Maria de Servin also taught summer art courses for 15 years at the University of Arizona. 

Jose Maria de Servin's mural productions were numerous. He painted important murals in union with his brothers Antonio and Miguel. His religious pictures were very  well accepted in Europe.

His first grand exhibition was held in 1940 in Guadalajara, and he held many other shows after that in Mexico, Panama, Venezuela, the US and Europe.

He is mentioned in a Time article from Oct 2 1944 written about the art of Jesus Reyes Ferreira.
 
Main Exhibitions:

Spanish Athenian, Guadalajara, Jal. (1940); Gallery of Contemporary Art, Mexico, D.F. (1949); Gallery of Universal Art, Monterrey, N. L. (1959); House of the Crafts, Guadalajara (1964); Rossemberg's Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ. and in Miami, FL. (1969). Crafts Capuchinas, Guadalajara (1971). Building "The Angel", Mexico, D.F. (1977). In addition Jose Mariia de Servin participated in important exhibitions in Venezuela and Panama.  An exhibition tribute was held the year after Jose Maria de Servin's death, Regional Museum of Guadalajara (1984)
 
Prizes and Distinctions:
Medal of Honor Fair of Jalisco (1953). In the Madonna Festival of Los Angeles, CA., Jose Maria de Servin received the first prize for the work "the Madonna and the Boy" (1956).  In 1957 Jose de Servin gained the prestige's Merciful Jose Orozco award. First prize in the Year of the Plastic Arts of Jalisco (1964). In 1967 he is honored with the appointment to Life Member of Friends of the Mexican Art of the Art Museum in Phoenix, Arizona.  Named artistic Adviser of the House of the Crafts of Jalisco (1969)
 
Jose Maria de Servin's murals works are rich in color and show a high sense of the "Mexicanidad".

Jose Maria de Servin has works of this sort in the Regional Museum, the House of the Jalisciense Culture and the House of the Crafts as well as in the hotels Mendoza and Hilton, of Guadalajara, Jalisco.  His works can be viewed in the Arcs of Phoenix, Arizona.; The Cortijo of San Jose, Tijuana, B. C. and the Pharmacies Benavides de Monterrey, N. L.