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David Alfaro Siqueiros 1896 - 1974
Description
- David Alfaro Siqueiros
- Incendio al atardecer (Fire at Dusk)
signed and dated 57 lower right
- oil on masonite
- 51 3/4 by 23 1/4 in.
- 131.4 by 59 cm
Provenance
Gift of the above, 1996
Condition
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.
Catalogue Note
Siqueiros did not paint from nature. He often used photography for his compositions; many of his landscapes exhibit a perspective that derives from a collection of aerial views he purchased from a specialized survey company. The use of a higher vantage point can be interpreted as an allegory of the artist as visionary, a privileged member of society, a modern shaman of sorts, who is able to "see" more and farther and thus guide the steps of the people.
Siqueiros consistently used elements of the landscape as a metaphor. Active volcanoes in many of his paintings were not only geographic features, but they served as potent symbols of the destructive fury and renewing power of nature; the symbol of the power of a revolutionary society change the established order. This is most likely the underlying theme of Incendio al atardecer.
An organized crowd has reached a mountain top and extends out of the painting at the foreground. From this height, these persons are witnessing a spectacular burst of fire on the horizon. The painting is equally divided in two: the brown land with scattered buildings or cities and the crowd in the middle ground who mirror the fires, rocks and ashes, obscuring the sky. Interestingly, upon closer examination, it would seem that the crowd is celebrating in joy as they extend their arms and as they rush to find a place to observe the phenomenon from the exiguous plateau. Could this imaginary landscape be interpreted as the representation of the joy of being part of the revolutionary process? It is perhaps the "old order" that is being engulfed in the darkness of the night while a new dawn shades its first lights upon the advancing masses.