María del Rosario Novoa Luis

Merit Professor at the University of Havana, Doctor in Philosophy and Letters and in Pedagogy. Doctor in Pedagogical Sciences. Consultant Professor and Full Professor at the Faculty of Arts and Letters.

She was born in Mariel, province of Pinar del Río, and spent only two years in her native town, a port in western Cuba. Soon after, the family would move to Havana. However, as she would confess to Mirta Yáñez in her book Una memoria de elefante (Editora Abril, Havana, 1991), she always kept the image of that home, especially the smells: "My first memory is of the house in Mariel, on Calle Real. I was two years old, and I remember a window, some steps, and above all a smell. Over time, I learned that that house had carbide light, a very white, very beautiful light. And that smell in my memory was the carbide."

In Havana, they first lived on Calle Florida and later at the corner of Salud and Santiago. In 1910, she began attending school. She attended several schools, but since she had already set her mind on becoming a teacher, she was recommended to enroll in the so-called Escuela Anexa from where she could study teaching.

At fifteen years old, Rosario lived on Calle Galiano, where all the important events happening in the city paraded by: funerals, political caravans, and the festive carnival celebrations, whose dances she enjoyed, especially for the opportunity to attend in disguise.

In 1934 she began her professional life and entered the University through a competitive exam, in the category of Graduate Assistant, to work alongside Dr. Luis de Soto, who immediately assigned her a group of students to whom she would teach a course on Renaissance painting. When Dr. De Soto assigned her to teaching, Rosario already possessed some experience and was able to begin working quickly. She maintained the rank of Assistant until 1937, when the position of Associate Professor was created, which she obtained without any examination, having achieved her incorporation into the University through a competitive exam with testing.

Along with teaching duties, in the second half of the 1930s, she also began to develop—based on her careful class notes—what would become the first textbooks (Ars) on the History of Art in Cuba. First they appeared as pamphlets and later as books. In 1952 the Dihigo building was inaugurated on the corners of Zapata and G streets. The space assigned to the Department of History of Art, on the ground floor, was originally conceived by De Soto and La Novoa, who also designed and paid for its functional work tables. Just three years later De Soto passed away, and she then became Full Professor.

In 1964, the Bachelor's degree in History of Art was created and it was Rosario Novoa who structured and initiated the new curriculum, with the same enthusiasm with which 30 years earlier she had participated in the development of the department. At that time only two History of Art professors remained in the country. La Novoa multiplied herself like never before: she covered courses, gave lectures, drafted curriculum plans, and responded to every request she considered necessary. Thus she was a collaborator and advisor to several ministries and cultural institutions.

An excellent teacher, a relevant figure in Cuban education and culture. She received the university title Master of Masters for 60 years of uninterrupted university teaching.

She taught free courses at the University of Havana on Modern Painting, Pre-Columbian Art, Latin American Colonial Art; she likewise taught classes on medieval art on television, gave lectures on her specialties at cultural centers, organizations, institutions in almost all provinces of the country and abroad. She taught summer courses, held leadership positions such as: Head of the Department of History of Art, President of the Academic Categories Tribunal. Honorary President of the Scientific Degrees Tribunal.

She was President of the Plans and Programs Commission since its founding. She participated in the development of plans and programs for different levels of education and multiple disciplines. In the Project for the School of Plastic Arts in Cubanacán, she was part of the commission that created and discussed the first curriculum, teaching the first course in History of Art.

Founder of the Federation of Doctors in Sciences and Letters, of the Higher Institute of Art. Honorary Director of the National Museum of Fine Arts. She has numerous publications that are obligatory references for scholars and professors.

She was recipient of numerous national and international recognitions, notably Hero of Labor of the Republic of Cuba, "Frank País" Order Grade I, "Félix Varela" Order, "Lázaro Peña" Order Grade I, "Alejo Carpentier" Medal, "Fernando Ortiz" Medal for 25 years of the Academy of Sciences, university title Master of Masters for 60 years of uninterrupted university teaching, Honorary Member of the Association of Educators of Cuba.

Among many other distinctions, she held the position of Merit Professor at the University of Havana, the Félix Varela order, the distinction for National Culture, and the Alejo Carpentier medal.

She died in City of Havana on December 24, 2002.