Julio Larraz (Cuban, born March 12, 1944) is a painter best known for his realistic depictions of everyday life in the Caribbean. Born in Havana, he fled to the United States in 1961. In 1964, he moved to New York and began drawing political caricatures that were published by The New York Times and The Washington Post, among other newspapers. He learned painting techniques from several artists in New York, such as Burt Silverman (American, b.1928), and began painting full time in 1967. Some of the themes in Larraz’s work include still lifes, maritime scenes, bullfights, political generals, and businessmen. He often alludes to the corruption of political and social power, but the cropped compositions and obscured faces render the narratives of his paintings ambiguous. For example, in Above Suspicion (2007), a sinister-looking woman in sunglasses—who appears in many of Larraz’s paintings—is walking towards a black limousine surrounded by bodyguards and journalists. Larraz’s style is influenced by traditional Spanish painters, Surrealists, such as Giorgio de Chirico (Italian, 1888–1978), and early Modern European painters, particularly Édouard Manet (French, 1832–1883). Larraz has also made sculptures, including a series of colorful busts of disfigured-looking emperors. His work is included in collections around the world, such as The Museo de Monterrey in Mexico, The World Bank in Washington, D.C., and The Museo de Arte Moderno in Bogota, Colombia. He currently lives and works in Miami, Florida.