- 368
Antonio Blanco
Description
- Antonio Blanco
- Mother and Child
- Signed
- Oil on canvas
- 95 by 68 cm.; 37 1/4 by 26 3/4 in.
- Executed CIRCA 1964, the work is accompanied with the artist's original frame.
Provenance
Literature
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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
Catalogue Note
The subject matter of Mother And Child is extremely rare among his artist peers. For most ‘Euro-Indo’ artists such as Le Mayeur and Theo Meier painted the Balinese landscapes with women weaving, dancing, offering or engaging in traditional ceremonies. The present work, as the title suggests, depicts a Balinese mother embracing her baby. The composition brings to mind the legacy of the icon, which harks back to the European tradition of Madonna and Child paintings.
More interestingly, the subject matter is in fact, a gentle divorce from Blanco’s favorite theme of women typically modeled by his muse and wife Ni Ronji. While the quick impressionistic brushwork suggests the silhouette of a woman, the focus of the painting is undeniably the baby in the forefront. In comparison to the mother, the child is deliberately executed in much greater details whose features are more defined. The intimate composition suggests that the work could be painted shortly after the baby was born. Moreover, the artful manner in which Blanco rendered the figures, while expressing the unconditional motherly love and the intense connections with the newborn distinguished his unparalleled talents among his peers at the time. The interplay of loose brushstrokes with the negative space is most beautifully displayed in Mother And Child. Together with the vibrant colours, the modeling of space as well as the bold painterly strokes, the present work emphasizes the vitality of the baby. Henceforth, Mother And Child is indeed Blanco’s tribute towards motherhood and his joy of having a child.