Estuardo Maldonado was born in Pintag, Ecuador, in 1928 and passed away in 2023. In 1947, he studied at the School of Fine Arts in Guayaquil. In 1953, he taught Drawing and Art History at the American School in Guayaquil. In 1955, he held his first exhibitions in Guayaquil, Portoviejo, Bahía, and Esmeraldas. In 1956, he met Benjamín Carrión, who invited him to exhibit at the Casa de la Cultura and appointed him as a corresponding member of the institution. He was the first Ecuadorian artist to hold a solo exhibition of Sculpture in Quito and Guayaquil.
In 1957, thanks to a scholarship, he traveled to Italy, visiting Spain, France, Germany, Switzerland, and the Netherlands before settling in Rome. In this city, he attended courses in Sculpture and Painting at the Academy of Fine Arts of Rome. He also studied at the Institute of Art and the Academy of San Giacomo, focusing on ceramics, mosaics, frescoes, and engraving.
He has won 12 major awards in Europe. He created 12 murals and monumental sculptures in public and private buildings worldwide. He was invited to 13 of the largest Biennials in the world. His works are housed in 20 museums across Europe and the Americas.