Lot description
Untitled signed (lower right and verso) dated Feb 1967 (verso) oil on canvas 20" x 24" (51 cm x 61 cm) Accompanied by a certificate issued by Georgina Padilla y Zóbel confirming the authenticity of this lot PROVENANCE Maria Cristina “Kit” Ongpin Roxas Private collection, Manila The 1960s proved to be a monumental decade for Fernando Zóbel. Spending more or less the last decade flitting between Europe, the Philippines, and the United States, Zóbel became the forefront of modern art not just in the Philippines but also in Spain, where he eventually found fame and fortune. Madrid and Cuenca, in particular, bore a great mark of inspiration on Zóbel’s artistry. The last few years of the 1950s saw a radical reconstruction of Zóbel’s abstraction pieces, leading to his relocation to Madrid permanently by the time the next decade rolls out. During his years in Spain, Zóbel developed a deep appreciation for Spanish art and culture, and his collection expanded significantly. This growing need for space led him to Cuenca. The Museo de Arte Abstracto Español was envisioned by Zóbel in 1961, and by 1966, it had been established, with approximately 129 paintings housed within its walls. This particular work, done in 1967, was created in that peculiar period of Zóbel’s artistic life. Created a year after the establishment of Museo de Arte Abstracto Español and just before the start of another series, this work is a culmination of Zóbel’s fruitful decade or so. It also signaled Zóbel’s return to color. With his Serie Negra dominating his late 1950s to early 1960s, the need for color eventually resurfaced with his oeuvre now featuring shades of grays, ochres, and siennas. This particular work boasts that tan and gray that was bereft of the last couple of canvases, a brief moment forever captured through Zóbel’s deft hands. The period from the 1960s to the mid-1970s was characterized by Zóbel’s distinct abstract styles, with his longest painting period occurring between 1963 and 1975. Overlapping that period was Zóbel’s nature epoch. Nature became a focus of his series of work, drawn heavily from his charming environment in Cuenca. With this context, it is easy to see this particular work as a turning point in Zóbel’s artistry. Hovering on the threshold between two iconic series, this work serves as a jumping off point to connect his Serie Negra and his Dialogos. His return to colors is not just a return to his previous themes and motifs, but a return to his topics with his previous decade’s learning behind him. This work is a masterclass of Zóbel’s 1960s, a piece of work that incorporates his eventful decade, one that brings the catalyst for another section in his artistic life. (Hannah Valiente)
