Coronel Francisco E. Contreras 1880

Francisco Oller painted "Coronel Francisco E. Contreras" in 1880. Oller, a white Puerto Rican artist, spent time in Europe, where he became acquainted with the impressionists, like Pissarro and Cézanne. During a period of increased colonial rule in Puerto Rico, Oller portrays a man in military regalia, set against a backdrop that could be the island's landscape. The crispness of the figure contrasts with the soft brushwork of the background. Contreras's firm gaze and posture exude authority, while the trappings of military power—the sword, the helmet— speak to the tensions between self-determination and colonial power. Oller's access to European painting styles allowed him to depict Caribbean subjects and to explore themes relevant to Puerto Rican identity. In this way, the painting allows for reflection on the emotional weight of national identity.