Manuel Toussaint

Manuel Toussaint y Ritter
Born(1890-05-29)May 29, 1890
Coyoacan, Mexico City
DiedNovember 9, 1955(1955-11-09) (aged 65)
New York, New York
OccupationDirector: Instituto de Investigaciones Estéticas
Board member of
Academic background
Alma materUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de México
Academic work
DisciplineHistorian
Sub-disciplineMexican History and Art
Institutions
  • Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
  • Instituto de Investigaciones Estéticas
Notable students
Main interests
  • Mexican Colonial Era History and Art
  • Mexican Prehispanic History and Art
  • Mexican 19th century History and Art
Notable works
  • Paseos Coloniales
  • La Catedral de México y el Sagrario Metropolitano
  • La pintura en México durante el siglo XVI
  • Viajes alucinados

Manuel Toussaint y Ritter (29 May 1890 – 9 November 1955) was a Mexican notable historian, writer, essayist, literary and art critic, art historian and academic. He is best known for his work on Mexican history, especially during the colonial period. His scholarship was influential in shaping the understanding of Mexico's history during the 20th century.

Toussaint is recognized for his contributions to historical methodology and for his writings that helped frame the understanding of Mexican history in a more critical light.

He was a forerunner in the study of the history of colonial art in Mexico, and was also interested in pre-Hispanic and 19th-century art. He was a defender of the country's artistic heritage.

He authored over 30 books and more than 250 essays and articles.