The Higher University of San Andrés granted Teresa Gisbert Carbonell a degree in architecture and urbanism in 1950, marking the beginning of a career that integrated the study of Andean history with professional restoration. Born in La Paz on 30 November 1926, she spent decades analyzing the intersection of indigenous iconography, viceregal painting, and the broader architectural landscape of the Andean region.
Academic and Research Foundations
After graduating in 1950, Gisbert moved to Spain with her husband, José de Mesa. During her residence between 1953 and 1962, she conducted research at the Laboratory of Art at the University of Seville and the Diego Velasquez Art Institute. Upon returning to Bolivia, she joined the faculty of the Higher University of San Andrés, where she taught Bolivian culture and art history from 1954 to 1970. She later taught American Art within the same university's Faculty of Architecture during 1972 and 1975.
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Gisbert held several key positions in cultural administration. She served as the director of the National Art Museum in La Paz from 1970 to 1976. Her leadership roles extended to the Bolivian Society for History, which she presided over from 1983 to 1984. Between 1985 and 1989, she directed the Bolivian Cultural Institute. Additionally, she led the International Council on Monuments and Sites in Bolivia from 1986 to 1992.
Scholarly Output
Her academic career produced an extensive bibliography. Collaborating with José de Mesa, she authored 'Historia de la pintura Cuzqueña' in 1962, 'Holguín y la pintura virreinal en Bolivia' in 1977, and 'Historia del Arte en Bolivia' in 2012. Independent publications include 'Literatura virreinal en Bolivia' in 1968, 'Iconografía y mitos indígenas en el arte' in 1980, 'Manual de historia de Bolivia' in 1994, and 'El Paraíso de los Pájaros Parlantes' in 1999. She concluded her writing career with 'Arte, Poder e Identidad' in 2016.
Recognition and Professional Standing
Gisbert maintained an active international presence, including visiting scholarships at the Getty Research Institute for the History of Art and the Humanities from 1990 to 1991 and 1993 to 1994. In 2006, she became a member of the American Philosophical Society. Her domestic and international honors include the National Culture Award of Bolivia in 1995 and the Grand Cross of the Order of the Sun of Peru. She died in La Paz on 19 February 2018.
Fast facts
- Born: 30 November 1926, La Paz, Bolivia
- Died: 19 February 2018, La Paz, Bolivia
- Profession: Architect, Art Historian, Restorer
- Education: Higher University of San Andrés
- Major Award: National Culture Award (Bolivia), 1995
- Membership: American Philosophical Society
- Languages: Spanish, French
Questions readers ask
What subjects did Teresa Gisbert study?
She specialized in architecture, urbanism, art history, and the history of the Andean region.
Did she hold any academic teaching positions?
Yes, she taught Bolivian culture, art history, and American Art at the Higher University of San Andrés.
Achievements
- Grand Cross of the Order of the Sun of Peru
- National Culture Award (Bolivia)
- Guggenheim Fellowship
- Trained at Higher University of San Andrés
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