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  • Biography

    Pedro Lazcano (1909-1970)

    Pedro Lazcano (1909-1970)

    I was always curious about Pedro Lazcano's background but never could find much information. Lazcano and Porfirio Salinas were painting and drinking buddies. I have found out bits and pieces from a few of my customers as well as a couple of Lazcano's relatives. A gentleman came into my gallery a few years ago. He spotted a Lazcano Landscape. He identified it from across the room. He had been in the oil business in the 1950s-60s. He had an office in the Tower Life building in San Antonio. He told me an interesting story about two artists. He said that two artists would come around the offices in the building every month or so trying to peddle their artwork. One was a skinny guy, and one was a little chubby. They were desperate to sell their paintings. Even though the prices were cheap the oil man wasn't finding much oil and couldn't afford to spend money on paintings. He said his rent on the office was about the same as the price for the paintings and they would have to pay the rent and pass on the art. The two artists said they would sell them for the same amount as their suite number. Their suite number was 24. They would offer their paintings to him for $24.00. The oil man still didn't buy any. After a few years of the two of them coming around one stopped coming. The skinny one kept coming around. The oilman asked what happened to the chubbier one. The skinny one said that his friend's paintings had started to sell pretty regularly, and he didn't have to knock on as many doors. You have probably guessed by now. The skinny guy was Pedro Lazcano and the chubby guy was Porfirio Salinas. I also had dealings with a son of Lazcano. Unfortunately, he didn't go into great detail about his father's life. He did tell me that prior to Lazcano becoming a full-time artist that he was an engraver for a San Antonio engraving company. After many, many years with the engraving company, with the advent of better technology, Lazcano's skills were replaced by a machine. Lazcano's position with the company was eliminated and he was left with only his artwork to try to sell to support his family. The son stated that if Lazcano didn't sell a painting or two every day that the family would not eat. He also claimed that for the last 10 years or so of his life he had a beer in one hand and a paint brush in the other. While the son was in my gallery, he called his mother (Lazcano's wife). She told that him that Lazcano and Salinas went many times somewhere North of San Antonio to study with Robert Wood.

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