Guide to the Enrique Romero Olivas Photograph and Painting Collection
Special Collections & Archives
University Library
California State University, Northridge
18111 Nordhoff Street
Northridge, CA 91330-8326
Contributing Institution:
Special Collections & Archives
Title: Enrique Romero Olivas Photograph and Painting Collection
Identifier/Call Number: TBC.ERP
Physical Description:
2 linear feet
Date (inclusive): 1968-1994
Abstract: Enrique Romero
Olivas was a Mexican photographer and painter who worked in Ensenada, Baja California. He
captured portraits of the community at his studio, Estudios Ensenada, where he also sold
works in oil, watercolor, sepia, and china. He often traveled to clients' homes and to other
communities in Baja California to pursue more subjects and to continue developing his
extensive client base. His technique employed vibrant or soft colors, such as using pastels
in paintings. Photographs, negatives, and paintings are included in the collection. The
dates on images range from 1968 to 1994, with a majority created in the 1980s to the
mid-1990s.
Language of Material:
Spanish; Castilian
Scope and Contents
The Enrique Romero Olivas Photograph and Painting Collection consists of portraits and
photographed celebrations of the community living in Ensenada and other locations around
northern Baja California. The collection includes color photographs, color negatives, and
canvas or wood paintings of such subjects as babies, children, birthdays, quinceañeras,
adults, couples, weddings, sports teams, social groups, bands, and work crews. Portraits of
babies and children are prominently featured. The photographs were either taken at Romero
Olivas's Estudios Ensenadas at the address of Callejon Rio Seco No. 1176, or off-site at
clients' homes, schools, outdoors, or other locations.
Based on dates written on notations and receipts found with some of the images, the time
period documented is from 1968 to 1994. There is little description that accompanied most of
the materials; therefore, personal details of the subject, date, and location for each image
are sparse. However, some images originally arrived enclosed in small envelopes. These bear
some description in Spanish, including pricing, names, dates, and/or requested image size by
client. These envelopes have been retained and are placed near the images in the collection.
Although the collection is not a complete representation of the body of work created by
Enrique Romero Olivas, who was born in 1934 and died in 2006, it offers a snapshot of the
artist's production and his diverse clientele from the 1980s to the mid-1990s, and
particularly showcases his portraits of babies and children.
The collection is arranged into three series:
Photographs,
(1968-1994),
Negatives, (ca. 1980-1995), and
Paintings, (Undated).
Series I,
Photographs, consists of over 800 printed color
photographs. It includes a wide range of portraits, especially images of babies and
children. Some photographs are paired with envelopes they were previously stored in. Each
envelope and its contents are kept together as a unit and are separated by tan-colored
dividers.
Series II,
Negatives, consists of over 7,000 color negatives.
It includes a wide range of portraits, especially images of babies, children, and adults.
Some negatives are paired with envelopes they were previously stored in. Each envelope and
its contents are kept together as a unit and are separated by paper.
Series III,
Paintings, consists of 14 paintings, including 13
pastel paintings on canvas and one painting on wood. Portraits of adults, couples, and
families are seen in this series.
Arrangement
Series I: Photographs, 1968-1994
Series II: Negatives, ca. 1980-1994
Series III: Paintings, undated
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research use.
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright for unpublished materials authored or otherwise produced by the creator(s) of
this collection has not been transferred to California State University, Northridge.
Copyright status for other materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials
protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires
the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be
commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any
use rests exclusively with the user.
Preferred Citation
For information about citing items in this collection consult the appropriate style
manual, or see the
Citing Archival Materials
guide.
Processing Information
Elizabeth Peattie, 2022
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Photographs
Series I: Photographs,
1968-1994
Box 2
Photographs,
ca.
1980-1994
Box 4, Folder 14
Photographs,
ca.
1980-1994
Box 5
Large Photographs,
ca.
1980-1994
Series II: Negatives,
ca. 1980-1994
Series III: Paintings,
undated
