By Luis Felipe Rodriguez
Arturo Suarez, native of San Miguel de Allende, recorded in photographs the city and its activities during the 20th century. The nine decades of his life witnessed complex situations and major historical events. Among these was the Porfirio Diaz presidency of over 30 years, which is referred to as the Porfiriato. At the end of the presidency, the nation entered an era of civil wars and revolutions which eventually led to a new national constitution.
The Spanish flu—from 1918 to 1920—was another important event that impacted the entire world, and San Miguel in particular. The Cristero War, which took place in the 1920s resulted in deaths and terrible social upheavals. Eventually, the late 1930s and 1940s saw the founding of the School of Fine Arts and the arrival of foreigners, both of which invigorated the city. There was also the construction of the Ignacio Allende Dam (1969), the founding of a new Bishopric in Celaya, the decrees of Typical Population and Historic City (1982) of San Miguel de Allende, the declaration of National and Historical Monuments of the Parish of San Miguel Arcángel (1944), and the population growth and urban expansion that occurred from the 1980s onward.
All of these events, landscapes, architecture, panoramic views, social and daily life, were portrayed in the photographs of Arturo Suarez. He died on February 20, 2001, at the age of 91. May he rest in peace.
From: “San Miguel de Allende in the eyes of Arturo Suárez,” by Graciela Cruz López, p.16.
