Lot 20: ARMANDO REVERÓN (1889-1954)

ARMANDO REVERÓN (1889-1954) SELF-PORTRAIT WITH DOLLS (DOUBLE-SIDED DRAWING) signed and dated 49 lower right graphite, charcoal, pastel, chalk and colored chalk on card stock 18 3/4 by 18 7/8 in. 47.6 by 48 cm

New York, Museum of Modern Art, Armando Reverón, February 11-April 16, 2007, illustrated in color

Juan Calzadilla, Armando Reverón, Caracas, 1979, no. 453, p. 255, illustrated in color, also illustrated on p. 239

Gustavo Guinand collection, Caracas (acquired from the artist)
Acquired from the above by the present owner

In the 2007 Reverón retrospective exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, there was an important group of the late Self Portraits by Armando Reverón , many were exhibited for the first time. In the catalogue it is said that "Reverón turned to self-portraiture several times in his career, but never as consistently as he did from 1947 to 1951, years during which he created seventeen of these images .../..This self portrait production coincided with a time of increased production of figural works.../...These portraits were made inside El Castillete, and in the background../ are Reverón dolls".[1]

In most of the artist's late self portraits, Reverón painted himself sitting in front of the human size dolls made by Juanita, his life long companion; they often appear absent minded and looking at all angles. In Self-Portrait with Dolls, 1949 , Reverón sat as close as possible to the dolls; he produced a figural compression which is nevertheless visually animated by the interaction of the body parts and the masterful color touches defining the portrait.


[1] Armando Reverón, The Museum of Modern Art, New York, 2007, page 181