César Manrique Cabrera (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈθesaɾ manˈrike] or [ˈsesaɾ manˈrike]) (24 April 1919 – 25 September 1992) was a Spanish artist, architect and nature activist from Lanzarote. He began work as a painter in 1939 after returning from the Spanish Civil War, and went on to influence early Spanish informalism and abstract art. He is however primarily known for his architectural projects in Lanzarote, constructed from the 1960s to 1990s. These were designed to promote sustainable tourism, while respecting the natural landscape and character of the island. As an activist, he worked to preserve the natural beauty and traditional architectural principles of Lanzarote, and was successful in his drive for regulation against high rise hotels. He was widely celebrated in his time, and continued designing naturalist structures until his death in 1992.

Manrique's contributions to the island of Lanzarote have delivered a lasting legacy. On the anniversary of his death in 1993, UNESCO declared the island a biosphere reserve in recognition of his conservation efforts. In 2019, the hundredth anniversary of his birth, the island's main airport was renamed in his honor. His foundation continues to advocate for natural conservation in the region today.

Manrique was born in Arrecife, Lanzarote, one of the Canary Islands. His father Gumersindo Manrique, originally from Fuerteventura, built the family house in Caleta de Famara. Manrique himself once said this house and its surroundings has impressed him greatly. He demonstrated artistic talent from a young age. He was sometimes considered himself an "oddball" as he had unusual interests for a child like observing patterns in stones and the movement of insects. He drew frequently, though none of his juvenilia has survived. As he grew older he would make portraits of his family members.

He fought in the Spanish Civil War as a volunteer in the artillery unit on Franco's side. The violence of war troubled Manrique, and he would not talk about what he had experienced afterwards. He returned to Lanzarote in 1939, climbed on to the roof of his home, stripped off his military uniform and set fire to it. His experiences left him with a wish to produce uplifting, inspirational art. The civil war had a profound effect on him and his contemporaries, some of whom were killed or forced into exile.

Manrique decided to work as a painter in 1939, after his return from the civil war. He held a number of exhibitions in the early 1940s to showcase his paintings. His first solo exhibition was in Arrecife in 1942 and others followed there and in Gran Canaria. He swiftly established the format that would guide his solo expositions from then until 1957, a mixture of more traditional paintings inspired by Lanzarote's geography, and then more fantastical or abstract scenes.

He moved to Madrid in 1945 and received a scholarship for the Art School of San Fernando, where he graduated as a teacher of art and painting. His decision to enter a prolonged period of study was considered unusual at the time, given that he was already moderately established as an artist and had been conducting solo exhibitions for three years. He lived with his partner Josefa "Pepi" Gómez, who came from a wealthy family and through whom he developed connections in the art world. They lived at two locations in Madrid over the period, and would regularly host "artists, architects, and poets, as well as ambassadors, politicians, business leaders and aristocrats" at social gatherings in their home. These connections would offer a means for Manrique to gain commissions for his artwork. While Manrique was very well connected with Madrid society, he avoided becoming involved with Francoist politics personally. He once stated that he preferred "to be an eagle rather than a sheep".

Madrid's art scene was at the time still recovering from the consequences of the civil war. The area suffered from widespread poverty, and many galleries had been closed in the 1930s. These were beginning to re-open with the gradual relaxation of Francoist isolationism early 1950s, and Spain once again began to take part in international art events. Critics have identified 1950 to 1953 as a key transitional period in Manrique's stylistic development, something which originated with two influences. This came from his membership of the Institute of Cinema Research and Experimentation, and a trip to Paris in 1950. He spent several months with an artist colony in the city, which had built up around the Spanish College. His time there exposed him to experienced artists of the area including Pablo Palazuelo and Eduardo Chillida among others. By 1953, his painting exhibited a more arbitrary use of colour and form, and intentionally child-like linework, showing reference to Mattisse and Picasso. He painted a number of well regarded murals at the Hotel Fénix, Banco Guipuzcoano and Barajas Airport. Spain's improving international reputation meant that Manrique was able to participate in the second Latin American Biennial in Havana in 1953.

His works in the period contributed to early Spanish informalism and abstract art. This was particularly apparent by the late 1950s, when other artists began to acknowledge his influence. He began to eschew bright colours and instead focused on material work. Manrique lavishly decorated his Madrid home with art, and designed several elements such as the lamps, chairs and ceramics. The art historian Carlos Diaz-Bertrana has suggested that this represented an early indication of how he had "spilled over beyond the canvas", by moving into other art forms. In 1959, he shared an exhibition with Maud Westerdahl [es], an enameller and art critic with whom he would develop a lasting friendship.