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.
i Manolo Valdés, quoted in Manolo Valdés 1981-2006, exh. cat., Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Madrid, 2006, p. 20.
來源
馬德里 Marlborough 畫廊 美國 Julian J. 及 Anne Marie Aberbach 收藏(2001年購自上述來源) 私人收藏(由上述藏家繼承作品) 紐約,富藝斯,2017年11月15日,拍品編號143 現藏者購自上述拍賣
過往展覽
Madrid, Galería Marlborough, Manolo Valdes: Obras reciente, Feburary 8–March 10, 2001, no. 6, p. 17 (illustrated)