Alongside Sergio Trujillo, Santiago Martínez Delgado is considered to be one of the most representative Colombian Art Deco artists. The blooming period of Martínez’s work coincides with the implementation of economic policies associated with capitalist modernisation in 1930s Latin America. Thus, his artwork captures a transitional moment in the history of Colombia. His formal language reflects the modernist impulse of avant-garde movements, even as his paintings and murals reflect an attachment to the traditional values of Colombian society. During his years as a student at the Chicago Academy of Arts, Martínez was exposed to the contrasting influences of American Art Deco and the artwork produced by the artists of the WPA.