Juan Soriano: A Visionary Painter of Mexico’s Soul Juan Soriano (1920 – 2006) stands as one of the most prominent figures in twentieth-century Mexican art, a painter whose oeuvre transcends mere representation to embody the spirit and dynamism of his nation. Born Juan Francisco Rodríguez Montoya in Guadalajara, Jalisco, he descended from a family marked by eccentricity—his father, Rafael Rodríguez Soriano, was a veteran of the Mexican Revolution, while his mother, Amalia Montoya Navarro, bravely served as a “soldadera,” demonstrating unwavering patriotism during wartime. From childhood, Sori…