Juan José Sicre y Vélez was born in Matanzas on December 19, 1898. He pursued his early art studies in Havana, at the Villate School, then directed by Aurelio Melero, and later at the San Alejandro Academy. He was awarded a scholarship that allowed him to study in Spain, at the prestigious San Fernando Academy in Madrid. There, he studied under Miguel Blay and came into contact with other Spanish artists who had a positive influence on his work.

Some of his earliest and most accomplished pieces date from this period, such as the bust of the Spanish writer José Zorrilla, as well as the violinist Bonilla and other well-known figures of the time, such as Fray Marsal and the painter Bencomo. He spent a few days in France and later resided in Florence, Italy. There he continued to create, inspired by the Renaissance that still lingered in that city. From the Italian period are the sculptures Statue of a Woman, Bohemian, The Madwoman of the Vatican, Dianela, Bambina, and Seated Man, among others.

Before leaving the peninsula, he also conceived Cabeza de Martí, a work that would earn him widespread acclaim both inside and outside of Cuba. He returned to France, where he continued to create and interact with the artistic movements of the time. He sculpted the piece Descendimiento (Descent from the Cross) and others that were successfully exhibited in Paris. He continued to create in marble, plaster, and bronze, materials he crafted with excellent results in terms of harmonious lines and overall aesthetics.

In 1927, he returned to Cuba, where he had the opportunity to exhibit a significant collection of pieces, such as Fountain and Kneeling, as well as some of those already mentioned. From that year on, he began teaching modeling classes at the San Alejandro Academy, a position he held for approximately 13 years, without abandoning his essential role as a creator.

In fact, the pieces Monument to the Invading Soldier, located in Mantua; the sculpture of Victor Hugo, in Vedado; an effigy of Eugenio María de Hostos, in Ciudad Trujillo, Dominican Republic; and that of General Narciso López, in Cárdenas, date from this period. He also created reliefs dedicated to the deaths of Ignacio Agramonte, José Martí, and Antonio Maceo, as well as others that still grace significant pantheons in the Colón Cemetery.

For his artistic career, he received numerous awards, especially the honor of posterity, as many of his works continue to be exhibited in several cities across the country. His Don Nicolás Estévez on the Sidewalk of the Louvre, from 1937, as well as other sculptural pieces, including busts, plaques, and reliefs, contributed to giving face and visibility to important figures in Cuba and around the world.