Self-taught Honduran artist Jose Antonio Velasquez was born in Charity, Honduras, on February 8, 1906, and died on February 14, 1983. His work depicts typical Honduran street scenes, distinctly stylized and frequently portrayed from a high vantage point and rendered in rich colors endemic to Central American culture. Often lauded as among the first American Primitive painters, his style is associated with Naïve Art. In addition to his best-known paintings, he worked in photography and sculpture various times. Velasquez garnered critical acclaim in his lifetime, and was included in the first Latin American Art Biennial of 1951. His life and art inspired a film titled The World of a Primitive Painter in 1973, increasing his worldwide exposure and acceptance.