Maximiliano Grillo (1868–1949) was one of the most visible and widely published art critics in Colombia during the first three decades of the twentieth century. His critical work encompassed a broad range and his views were highly respected. This document lists the names and addresses of the Colombian artists who were studying in Europe. It is interesting to note that among that group, only Marco Tobón Mejía (1876–1933) was in Paris; most of the others were in Madrid, and a few spent their time in Rome and Florence. It is no surprise that most of these artists went to Spain, because in Colombian art circles in the early twentieth century there was a marked preference for the traditional Spanish aesthetic, a preference that Grillo adamantly endorses. Those trips to Europe were therefore an essential step for Colombian artists if they wanted to be considered eminent connoisseurs of the western tradition of art. Luis Alberto Acuña (1904–1984) was not a typical Colombian artist of that period because he was one of the few who sought inspiration in Pre-Columbian traditions to create his work. This was true even at a formal level; his work deviated from the academic styles that were embraced by most Colombian artists on their return from Europe. In fact, Acuña’s work was the result of a fruitful exchange between art, the debate concerning a truly Colombian form of expression, and exposure to the languages of the European avant-garde.
Luis Alberto Acuña was born in Santander, a Colombian department [state], where he first began to study art. Later on he lived in Bogotá and attended the Escuela de Bellas Artes [School of Fine Arts], where the work he submitted to a contest earned him a trip to Europe. He studied in Paris and visited a number of countries. On his return to Colombia he joined los Bachués, the avant-garde group of artists, writers, and intellectuals. In addition to being a painter and sculptor, Acuña was a professor and art historian specializing in Colombian art.