Manuel Viola (1916-1987) - Composición

Manuel Viola (Zaragoza, 1916 – San Lorenzo de El Escorial, 1987) “Composición” Oil on canvas 150 × 110 cm Signed “Viola” in the lower right corner. Important original work by Manuel Viola, one of the fundamental figures of Spanish informalism and a member of the historic group El Paso. The composition unfolds over a deep dark field from which an intense nucleus of matter and light emerges. Broad sweeps of paint, incisive strokes and energetic gestures build a image of great visual strength, in which blacks and earth tones contrast with whites, ochres, violets and reddish hues. The work presents some of the characteristic elements of Viola’s pictorial language: the prominence of light over backgrounds of great depth, the tension between darkness and luminosity, the gestural brushwork and a dynamic construction that seems to expand from the center toward the edges of the canvas. Because of its stylistic characteristics, palette and informalist language, the work can be situationally situated in the context of Viola’s production in the 1960s, although no concrete date is attributed in this listing since it is not dated by the artist. It is a large-format painting, 150 × 110 cm, a circumstance that particularly enhances the gestural and expressive dimension of the composition. Provenance documented: Ansorena, Madrid. Auction 279, lot 110. The reverse of the canvas bears the label corresponding to Auction 279, in addition to various references and inventory numbers visible on the stretcher. The work is signed in the lower right corner and retains its stretcher. Detailed photographs of the front, signature, reverse, stretcher and auction label are provided, as well as available documentation relating to its provenance. Condition: Good overall condition for its age. It is recommended to examine carefully the photographs, which are an integral part of the lot description. A work of considerable presence and format within Manuel Viola’s informalist production, with documented provenance in the Spanish auction market.

Estimate:£6,700.72

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