Page 45 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Cuba

Writers and Artists ❮❮ 43

TOP 10 OTHER FAMOUS CUBANS
1 Carlos Finlay (1833–1915)
The doctor who discovered that yellow
fever is trans mitted by mosquitoes.
2 Gerardo Machado (1871–1939)
Corrupt and ruthless military leader
who seized power in 1925 and fled
in 1933 (see p37).
3 Fulgencio Batista (1901–73)
A sergeant who carried out a military
coup and ran Cuba as a brutally
repressive dictator (see p37).
4 José Raúl Capablanca
(1888–1942)
The “Mozart of chess,” as he was known,
held the World Chess Championship
title from 1921 to 1927.
5 Alberto Díaz Gutiérrez
(1928–2001)
Diablito (1966), by internationally This photographer, better known
as Alberto Korda, shot the iconic
renowned artist René Portocarrero
image of Che Guevara.
Nacional de Bellas Artes (see p12), 6 Tomás Gutiérrez Alea (1928–96)
his murals are also in the Teatro A brilliant film-maker, “Titón” was at
Nacional and Hotel Habana Libre. His the forefront of New Latin American
work is infused with religious icons. cinema in the 1960s and 70s.
7 Eligio Sardiñas (1910–88)
Guillermo Cabrera
8 Christened “Kid Chocolate” by his
Infante (1929–2005)
fans, this boxing prodigy was also
This critic, journalist, and novelist is a wild party man.
best known for Tres Tristes Tigres, his 8 Alicia Alonso (b.1920)
seminal novel about the sordid era Cuba’s prima ballerina assoluta who
of pre-revolutionary Havana. Post- founded the National Ballet of Cuba.
Revolution, he edited a key lit erary 9 Teófilo Stevenson (1952–2012)
magazine before being exiled for Considered one of the greatest boxers
criticizing Castro’s government. of all time, this Olympic gold medal
winner refused to turn professional.
José Lezama Lima
9 10 Ana Fidelia Quirot (b.1963)
(1910–76)
A track and field athlete who survived
A gay libertine known as much severe burns to win a silver medal
for his flamboyant lifestyle as for at the 1996 Olympics.
his Baroque writing, Lima was
persecuted following the Revolution.
Today he ranks among the Cuban
literary elite. His most famous work
is the semi-biographical Paradiso.
Manuel Mendive
0
(b.1944)
Mendive is considered to be Cuba’s
most visionary and influ ential living
artist. His works are both naive and
highly erotic. A practising santero
(see pp48–9), Mendive is represented Alicia Alonso and Igor Youskevitch
in museums around the world.

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