Ángel Zárraga (1886-1946)

Collection of the artist's family, Mexico City
Sale: Christie's, New York, Latin American Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture, May 1, 1990, lot 25, illustrated in color

Mexico City, Galería de la Plástica Mexicana, Ángel Zárraga, no date
Mexico City, Museo Rufino Tamayo, Ángel Zárraga, January-February 1985

Grupo Financiero Bital, Zárraga, Milan, 1997, p. 34, illustrated in color

This work is in untouched condition. It does not seem to be damaged in any noticeable way except for some slight scuffs on the lower left edge. The paint layer is slightly dirty. No retouches are apparent, either to the naked eye or under ultraviolet light. The work could be lightly cleaned and retouched in a few spots, but it is in lovely condition. (This condition report has been provided courtesy of Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc.)
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

"Gestures are eternal," says Angel Zárraga. "When you lift your hands to the sky to implore for a divine grace or when you catch a ball others are fighting for, the attitude is always the same: [it represents] anxiety, desire, hope…"

Much like his beloved Jean Baptiste Chardin, Zárraga's versatility in treating nudes, religious and sport related images convey one underlying message: paintings must exhibit certain qualities, a solid construction and carefully crafted chromatic values to suggest a sense of permanence and aspiration. 

Zárraga was arguably the first 20th-Century artist to explore the world of soccer. His male—and surprisingly—female subjects are often times painted in the heat of a game, kicking, disputing a ball, or solidly posing for the artist in quasi-heroic poses after the game. Not surprisingly, his contemporary Aristide Maillol ascribed him to the “Evolutive Classicism” movement he promoted in the early 1920's. 

Futbolistas en el llano freezes a rapid sequence of events: the man in the far distance is looking at the ball he just kicked while one of the defenders falls under the body of the player wearing a green shirt attempting a header goal. The tall keeper rejects the ball with his two fists. The pyramidal construction Zárraga employs here—one of his favorite compositional structures—underlines the strong diagonals of the pink goal keeper. Sun rays increase the tension and suspense in this masterfully crafted mise-en-scène.  

Zárraga´s interest in soccer was obviously inspired by his model, lover and wife of 5 years, Jeannette Ivanoff. A Russian born star in the French women´s soccer team, she was part of the team that won the world cup in 1922. Interestingly, Futbolista rubia, one of Zárraga´s portraits of female soccer players of 1926 is also being offered as part of this sale (Lot 31).