Exquisitely rendered with layers of burlap covered in vibrant swaths of impasto paint, Retrato de Dorothy IV, 2000, is a monumental example of Manolo Valdés’ signature multifaceted portraits. Deeply influenced by Old Masters such as Diego Velázquez, as well as twentieth-century titans such as Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso, Valdés developed his own unique visual language that pays homage to his predecessors and is distinctly grounded in his Spanish heritage.

In Retrato de Dorothy IV, an elegant female subject is rendered on a scale akin to history painting which belies the humble materials of its execution. “I am just a narrator who comments on the history of painting in various ways, using new materials: it is like a game that consists of changing the code and the key to the artwork,” Valdés explained. “Many of my colors, materials and textures are the product of relived experiences of other masters. My painting involves much reflection.”ⁱ In Retrato de Dorothy IV, Valdés exquisitely marries figuration and abstraction, materiality and form, embodying the tactile richness for which the artist is renowned.

Pablo Picasso, Jacqueline, 1960 © 2021 Estate of Pablo Picasso / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

ⁱ Manolo Valdés, quoted in Manolo Valdés 1981-2006, exh. cat., Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Madrid, 2006, p. 20.
- Provenance
  Galería Marlborough, Madrid
  Julian J. and Anne Marie Aberbach, United States (acquired from the above in 2001)
  Private Collection (thence by descent from the above)
  Phillips, New York, November 15, 2017, lot 143
  Acquired at the above sale by the present owner
- Exhibited
  Madrid, Galería Marlborough, Manolo Valdes: Obras reciente, Feburary 8–March 10, 2001, no. 6, p. 17 (illustrated)