Nature and value of a painting

Havana, Thursday, 01 September 2016 – The researcher in charge of the project Fidel Micó Catalogue Raisonné (FMCR) is pleased to announce relevant findings from the visual analysis of a landscape painting sold for 20 000 USD at the 13th Moscow Fair of Art (Central House of the Artist, Moscow, Russia) in 2009 after exhibition in Cuba and Qatar, and five publications, including the most important national newspapers. The painting “La despedida en la Moca” (120 x 160 cm, oil on canvas, 2008, Russian private collector) was not shown in exhibition for sale, but it was the only Cuban painting sold when a persistent Russian collector found it hidden at the fair’s storage, which evidences one of the most important characteristics of the contemporary Cuban art (CCA).

The giddy evolution of the CCA has received little attention in academic reports and peer-reviewed articles [1, 2], in spite of extensive references of journalists to a pictorial movement with unusual characteristics [3, 4]. The slippery nature of the CCA is a distinctive feature that raises huge difficulties in provenance research and artwork authentication. Therefore, visual analysis and examinations of original works is critical to avoid misattributions, forgeries, overvaluations, and other undesirable phenomena in the art market fuelled by information asymmetry. Visual analysis of original paintings requires drawing a clear plan or check list to describe an image created by an artist. In this research, an extensive check list [5] was built from the literature [6-11] to perform the visual analysis of the painting “La despedida en la Moca” [12-15].

A small mass of light is the principal element of the painting “La despedida en la Moca”, intentionally placed for irradiating the landscape, but been interrupted by clouds which tones extends from orange to blue. A slightly different, and less extensive transition, takes place on the mountains while the sun shines. A wide and diversified framework of lines traps the viewer’s attention, after understanding the central idea of this artwork, without fatiguing his/her sight. Forms of unaccountable details of tropical vegetation are excellently defined. In this painting, the sight remains trapped between the mass of light and the reflection of the palm placed under the sun. After that, it falls to a group of palms where finds rest among wide green tones for finding a second landscape between the sun and the clouds. The sight starts from the centre of major interest and return to this to capture the viewer’s attention with similar strength, but in opposite direction. The colour scheme is exquisitely suitable for representing the subject, highlighting that a beautiful fact is happening in the painted place while pleasant memories are awaken. Line arrangements are also visually interesting. A palm limits a region of abundant diagonal lines and delicate curves, on the right side of the frame, from that of extensive vertical lines in a sharp contrast with curves of the palm branches that once again return the sight to the second landscape. The taller palms and the principal mass of light are placed as to ensure the attention to the subject, and to the emotional content of the painted fact. The enormous diversity of vegetation, more abundant in the lower right compartment is one of the most interesting issues of this artwork, because it suggests an inquisitive dedication to find perfection.

Forms clearly represent the diversity of species present in the painted place. The treatment of light builds forms that give the impression of being in the painted place, and volumes are well-defined by light and shadow. Concerning diversity of lines, spacing, tone and colour, it can only be argued that are wide. There is a linear base with golden proportions, as well as a triangle between the sun, the palm placed under it, and the taller palm. In addition, the crest of the mountain is placed in line with the upper golden mean. Tones are proportionate; extensive light areas over less light backgrounds strengthen the remoteness of the ridge, and high concentration of light at the centre with a few details in the background accentuate the centre of higher interest over the right golden mean. Warm colours are suitable for the subject, and the dominant feeling.

Equilibrium of lines, mass, tone, spacing, and colour are immediately perceptible from the visual impact. Extensive tonalities are balanced by more reduced gray masses. The principal element is placed on a lighted area in equilibrium with gray trunks of palms at the foreground to suggest a three-dimensional remoteness. Light gray and green areas are repeated on the vegetation as “rapports”. The equilibrium between vertical and horizontal lines, contrasts of tone, and the preponderance of warm colours accentuate the vitality. Tones are wide and unified, with simple conjugation to offer resistance to detail simplifications, because the artist intention is to show the complex richness that may be found in nature. This painting has always evoked a beautiful emotional reaction, mostly because the linear, tonal, and chromatic schemes take control of the viewer’s attention, thinking, and feeling for leaving him within a deep contemplative ecstasy.

Most characteristics of the artwork “La despedida en la Moca” found in this study could be divided into two categories. The first one suggests the possibility of influences from impressionists, the Russian old master Ivan Ivanovich Shishkin (1832-1898), and Cuban landscape painters from the 19th century. A second category could be components of a personal style developed during more than 40 years. Other techniques seem to come from a deep understanding of Claude Monet (1840 – 1926), Pierre Bonnard (1867-1947), Henri Julien Félix Rousseau (1844-1910), Maurice Denis (1870-1943), Alfred Sisley (1839-1899), and Paul Gauguin (1844-1903). Finally, a highly persistent influence on Micó’s work seems to be careful construction of the third dimension found in Bonnard’s work, and three dimensional arraignments that release the background’s pressure on the viewer.

Literature

1. Schwartz S. Tania Bruguera: Between Histories. Oxford Art Journal, 2012, Vol. 35, no. 2, p. 215-232.
2. Buxadó J. A. Catalogue raisonnée of the work of Fidel Micó. Art Documentation, 2015, Vol. 34, no. 2, p. 349-353.
3. Crow K. The Cuban Art Revolution. The Wall Street Journal. March 22nd, 2008.
4. Banjo S. Foundation to spread love of Cuban art. The Wall Street Journal. June 7th, 2010.
5. Buxadó J. A., Charlotte C. The silence’s smell. First edition, 2015, Raleigh: Lulu Press Inc, p. 108 - 115.
6. Cennino Cennini. Il libro dell'arte. 1437, Firenze, Felice Le Monnier Editore, 1859.
7. Leonardo Da Vinci. Trattato della pittura. 1494. Imprenta Real de Madrid, 1784.
8. Giorgio Vasari. Le vite de' più eccellenti architetti, pittori, et scultori italiani. Firenze, Lorenzo Torrentino Edizione, 1550.
9. Juan de Arfe. De varia commensuración para la esculptura y architectura. Sevilla, 1586.
10. Francisco Pacheco del Río. Arte de la pintura, su antigüedad y grandeza. Sevilla. 1599, 1649.
11. Gaspar Gutiérrez de los Ríos. Noticia general para la estimación de las Artes. Madrid, 1600.
12. Cada quien con su paisaje. La Habana: Galería La Acacia, May-July 2008, Exhibition catalogue. Preface by Tony Piñera.
13. Tony Piñera. Cada quien con su paisaje. Granma (newspaper), July 13th, 2008.
14. Angela Capote. Enfoques del paisaje. Tribuna de la Habana (newspaper), July 18th, 2008.
15. Cuban Visions. Doha: Cuban Embassy in Qatar, 2009. Exhibition catalogue. Preface by Tony Piñera.

Contact
José A. Buxadó, MSc.
Researcher in charge of the project
Fidel Micó Catalogue Raisonnée (FMCR).
Rodríguez Nº 14, entre Maboa y Rabí, apto 1,
Rpto. Santos Suárez, Municipio 10 de Octubre,
La Habana, Cuba.
e-mail:jabuxado@gmail.com

Fidel Micó Catalogue Raisonnée (FMCR) is a research project for study the career and life of the Cuban contemporary painter Fidel Micó. The results of this research are published in Internet, every year, available for free download.

Rodríguez Nº 14, entre Maboa y Rabí, apto 1, Rpto. Santos Suárez, Municipio 10 de Octubre, La Habana, Cuba.

This release was published on openPR.