Emilio Payán*: Merchant, philanthropist and custodian of the Historic Center

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the life of Salvador Castillo (1938-2019) was characterized by a deep passion for art, culture, pre-Hispanic art, and the preservation of Mexico City's Historic Center. He arrived in the capital in 1940, at the age of 2, with his family. His father, Álvaro Castillo, originally from Puente de Ixtla, Morelos, was a bold grocer who established trade connections with the Middle East and Norway, importing exotic products and essences for the grocery trade. His mother, Margarita Torres Sánchez, also the daughter of grocers, worked primarily as a public school teacher in her native Hidalgo.

Salvador grew up in a 17th-century mansion located on Mesones y Cruces Street, in the heart of La Merced, an environment that would profoundly influence his life. This neighborhood was home to diverse cultures and languages, including Arabic, Hebrew, and Spanish, and was populated by merchants, artists, priests, sex workers, fabric vendors, and owners of inns and taverns.

From an early age, Salvador, a shy child, displayed a special sensitivity toward art and literature. He became an avid reader of Emilio Salgari, and his uncle took him to see the murals at the Palacio de Bellas Artes. At the same time, he developed a deep connection with the colonial houses of the Historic Center. This inspired his dedication to preserving Mexico's cultural and artistic heritage.

At 17, after the death of his older brother, Salvador assumed responsibility for the family business. He demonstrated a remarkable innate ability for commerce, expanding and consolidating the business on a larger scale, exceeding the family's expectations. He obtained representation from the German grocery distributor, Spar. Later, along with a group of merchants, Castillo was instrumental in founding the Mexico City Central Supply Center and established the proper terms for the food trade to operate.

In 1980, Salvador Castillo decided to restore a historic 16th-century New Spain mansion known as the Casa de la Acequia (Case of the Ditch). It changed his life. There he housed the Spanish Athenaeum of Mexico, the Madero Bookstore, and the Víctor Artes Populares house. Unlike other merchants, Salvador refused to leave the center. In late 1990, with the creation of the Historic Center Trust, he was invited to join this project alongside prominent figures such as Carlos Slim, Roberto Hernández, Jacobo Zabludowski, Carlos Payán, and Juan Urquiaga, winner of the Reina Sofía Award for restoration, with whom he established a close friendship.

Castillo always opposed eradicating street vendors from the Historic Center because he understood the social and economic dynamics at work there. While other business owners proposed evicting informal merchants, Castillo offered viable alternatives before considering their removal. He decided to support street vendors by using his properties as shelter during raids: "Come in, this is private property ." His commitment to the community and understanding of the needs they faced, in addition to his humanitarian approach, made him an advocate for the most vulnerable. In an act of profound empathy, Salvador Castillo decided to offer education to children whose mothers, street vendors, could not take them to school; he placed two desks inside his office and became a teacher.

Castillo entered the art world when he began collecting pieces ranging from New Spain ceramics, post-artisanal art, and antiques. As he delved deeper into his collection, he learned to distinguish the authenticity, quality, and value of pieces. He met Lourdes Chumacero, who introduced him to artists Chávez Morado and Olga Acosta; over time, Castillo became a collector. His relationship with Chumacero also brought him closer to artist Carmen Parra, who introduced him to the world of Alberto Gironella and many other artists.

For her part, Ángeles González Gamio, his longtime partner, connected him with historians such as Miguel León Portilla and Eduardo Matos. These connections led him to create one of the most important collections of prints by 19th-century European travelers to Mexico, including Thomas Egerton, Friedrich von Waldeck, Casimiro Castro, and Frederick Catherwood. He also built a valuable collection of works by Ramos Martínez, Estrella Carmona, Fernando Leal Audirac, and Roberto Rébora, among other artists.

Among his most notable acquisitions is the second edition of The Disasters of War by Francisco de Goya, published in 1892 by the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando, which includes nearly 82 prints from the original plates. However, the true jewels of his collection were pieces of folk art and José Gómez Rosas's work, El Hotentote , and a pair of paintings by Juan O'Gorman that would accompany him until his last breath.

His generosity and commitment left a deep impression on those of us who were fortunate enough to know him.

Thank you, Salvador Castillo!

* For his son Álvaro.