Quinquela (Buenos Aires, March 1, 1890), whose birth name was Benito Juan Martín, was an Argentine painter. Son of an unknown mother who abandoned him at the Foundling House, seven years after it was adopted by the Chinchella family, owners of a carbonería. Quinquela Martin is considered the port painter and one of the most popular painters of the country. His paintings show port activity, vigor and harshness of daily life in La Boca port. He had to work as a child carrying bags of charcoal and these experiences influenced his artistic vision. He exhibited his works in several exhibitions in the country and abroad, he sold several of his creations and many others were donated. With the economic profit for these sales he made several solidarity works in La Boca neighborhood, including a school-museum known as Pedro de Mendoza School. He had no formal education in art but was self-taught, which caused criticism, is always positive. He used as the main working tool a spatula instead of the traditional brush.

By 1921, he was thirty-one, he began a series of travels around the world, which extended over ten years. He began by Brazil, where his friend named Taladrid who was an international representative of Encouragement Society of Fine Arts in the city of Rio de Janeiro encouraged cultural exchange between both countries. At that time the artist who best represented the spirit of Argentina was Quinquela. He moved to the Brazilian city for six months where he painted the native landscapes. In his own words in Rio de Janeiro there were so many painters because the natural setting was so beautiful and perfect that it could not be copied let alone improved.

Unmarried and without heirs he decided to marry for the first time at the age of 84 with his longtime secretary, Alejandrina Marta Cerruti. The wedding took place on March 15, 1974 his witness was the director of the Museum of Fine Arts in Argentine Artists "Quinquela" Guillermo de la Canal. His wife inherited all his property, she was the only heir.

On Tuesday January 28, 1977 he died in room 107 of the Institute of Diagnostic because of a cardiac complication. His remains were veiled in his home and studio life and buried in a coffin made for him years before because he said "he who lived surrounded by color can not be buried in a plain box." About the wood that made up the coffin was painted a scene from the port of La Boca.