of the proud black women deified in the paintings of Jorge Severino is natural. The keener observer of the works of art, however, will intuitively recognize that their enigmatic stares belie a hidden world. Meeting Jorge Severino and coming to know his life work is to understand that his paintings symbolize an underlying protest in favor of women and of diversity in Dominican society. Jorge Severino has long been their defender and his brushstrokes his munitions. While some may think of him as a feminist in hiding, throughout the years he has let the women of his oeuvres relay his message, timidly optimistic that some day they may be understood and freed. For this review, Severino himself explained the thoughts behind four moments of his successful career, all from the point of view of the Caribbean woman as center, essence and life.

The Prayer

This painting took the Second Award in the 1968 IV Annual E. Leon Jimenes Art Contest, with the oft-honored Mexican artist Jose Luis Cuevas among the panel of judges. By winning this award, Severino entered into an elite circle of artists on the national forefront

Severino recalls how he drew on his memories of growing up in Puerto Plata. At the start of the 20th century, Puerto Plata was a city of migrants holding about 20,000 inhabitants. Among these were the humble new arrivals from the West Indies who had come to work as craftsmen in the construction of the houses and buildings during the economic boom of what was then the country's busiest port city. Ranging from fishermen, woodworkers, ironworkers and mechanics, although poor, were dignified and well-educated, and had high respect for family and decency. In this acclaimed painting, Severino conveyed for posterity the aristocracy of the grandmothers and mothers, "beautiful blacks, dressed in white, who would attend church in their gala dresses."