Roberto Matta (Chilean, 1911-2002)
San Titre (1958-66)
Oil on canvas, 88cm x 103cm
Signed on verso
Condition: Some wear and discoloration commensurate with age. Otherwise in good condition. No restoration.
Provenance: G. Romani – Adami Collection; Claudio Bruni Collection, Rome; Private Collection.
Exhibitions: Palazzo dei Sette, Orvieto, Matta. L’occhio è la finestra, texts by Enrico Mascelloni, Max Clarac – Sérou, 2002, not in the cat.
PRICE: $82,000.
Born Roberto Antonio Sebastian Matta Echaurren on November 11th, 1912 in Santiago, Chile to a Chilean father and Spanish mother, Roberto “Matta” as he was most commonly known would soon become a seminal figure in the global art world with his contributions to various movements such as Surrealism and Abstract Expressionism. Matta enjoyed a comfortable upbringing in Chile, cultivating various interests in poetry, literature, and art in addition to receiving a formal education in architecture and interior design from the Pontifica Universidad Católica.
After joining the Merchant Marines, Matta was introduced to Europe and settled in Paris as the apprentice of architectural pioneer Le Corbusier for two years. In Europe, Matta established relationships with members of both the Latin American literary avant-garde such as Pablo Neruda, and renown European artists such as Salvador Dalí and André Breton. Breton, impressed by Matta’s spirit, bought several of his drawings and officially invited him to join the Surrealist group in 1937.
Matta’s maturity as an artist came in 1938 when he moved out of his crayon automatist drawings, and into the realm of biomorphic abstraction in his oil paintings. Matta’s works are characterized by an exploration of the subconscious mind in cosmic landscapes, scattered light patterns, and elliptic geometric forms. Referring to his works as “inscapes” Matta’s paintings investigated his own feelings towards the changing global landscape and tumultuous political events of the time. Matta explored a various mediums throughout his life such as ceramics, photography, and video production.
One of the first artists to delve into the realm of abstraction, Matta’s art provided major direction to the formative Abstract Expressionist artists, and continues to influence artists today. Although associated with the Surrealist artists, Matta’s six decade long career was a deeply personal one that balanced his engagement with the external world of social consciousness with his own internal psyche. His striking ability to follow his personal vision resulted in groundbreaking artworks that spurred the development of new artistic directions Chile and America.
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