El Niño de las Pinturas
Forty-nine distinctive works by Spanish graffiti artist Raúl Ruiz.
Graffiti artist Raúl Ruiz, known as “El Niño de las Pinturas”, began working in the 1990s. Originally from Granada where much of his work can be seen, he has since decorated walls and buildings in countries as diverse as Portugal, the Netherlands, Italy, Venezuela, Hungary, Belgium and France. He often incorporates images of children and adolescents into his work, frequently in situations of despair or anguish. For this pack, details of larger works have been used. This is ostensibly a pack for playing Spanish games (i.e., with 48 cards); however, the suits are non-standard (squares, crosses, triangles and diamonds) and there are no ‘pintas’ (border breaks). The date of the pack is uncertain. See the box►


Above: playing cards by «El Niño de las Pinturas» Spanish graffiti artist Raúl Ruiz. 48 cards + 2 (identical) Jokers/extra cards in tuck box. Size: 63 x 88 mm. Maker unknown. Date possibly c2010. Purchased in Granada, December 2023.

By Roddy Somerville
Member since May 31, 2022
Roddy started collecting stamps on his 8th birthday. In 1977 he joined the newly formed playing-card department at Stanley Gibbons in London before setting up his own business in Edinburgh four years later. His collecting interests include playing cards, postcards, stamps (especially playing cards on stamps) and sugar wrappers. He is a Past President of the Scottish Philatelic Society, a former Chairman of the IPCS, a Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards and Curator of the WCMPC’s collection of playing cards. He lives near Toulouse in France.
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