José María Cruz Novillo, the designer of Spain's most emblematic logos, dies at the age of 89
He is known as "the man who designed Spain", the title of the documentary that illustrates the aesthetic evolution of the country throughout his renowned professional career
El Correo Gallego
By Inés Sánchez
May 2, 2026
The designer José María Cruz Novillo, author of some of the most emblematic logos in the country, has died at the age of 89, according to 'Gráffica'. He was in charge of changing the appearance of Spanish entities after the Franco dictatorship and is the creator of the corporate image of companies such as Correos, Repsol, Endesa or Renfe. He is known as "the man who designed Spain", the title of the documentary that illustrates the aesthetic evolution of the territory throughout his renowned professional career.
The first to trust this renowned designer were the PSOE, to whom he gave the well-known logo of the fist and the rose, and Correos. But it also belongs to the icons of the National Police, the banknotes of the Bank of Spain, the flag and coat of arms of the Community of Madrid and that of media such as El Mundo, COPE, Diario 16 or El Economista. He is one of the undoubted personalities of graphic design in the country and this is endorsed by all the recognitions he has received throughout his career: National Design Award in 1997, Gold Medal for Merit in Fine Arts in 2012, academic of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando, Honorary Postman of the Post Office in 2019 and Laus de Honor in 2023.
The recognition of Honorary Postman of Correos allows you to be one of the only people who does not pay for postal mail. They consider that because of personalities such as Cruz Novillo they have achieved the recognition of the company. Correos turned to him to change the brand after 19 years, when he wanted to bet on "simplicity, sustainability and modernity" to address the new times of the company. Cruz Novillo made a renovation at all levels with a design with ink and vinyl reduction, eliminating decorative elements and replacing packaging with 100% recycled cardboard.
Beyond his relevance as a graphic designer, he always defined himself as an artist. "I'm a cartoonist, I always have been," he explained in an interview with 'Gráffica'. In fact, he began his career as a painter and sculptor, a condition that has also catapulted him into his profession. In his first stage in Madrid after leaving his native Cuenca he was selected to attend the New York World's Fair in 1964, where he began to direct his career towards design. In his extensive professional career he also had a presence in cinema, designing posters for films such as 'The Spirit of the Beehive', 'The National Shotgun' or 'Mondays in the Sun'.
CRUZ, Novillo (José María Cruz Novillo)
Born: 5/21/1936, Cuenca, Castile–La Mancha, Spain
Died: 5/2/2026, Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Novillo Cruz’s western – title design
Ride and Kill - 1964
