Federico Cantu Etching Aurelia 1949 Provenance Freda Klapp

Description

Federico Cantu Etching Aurelia 1949 Provenance Freda Klapp

Drypoint etching on paper mounted on board, signed in pencil by Federico Cantú and dated 1949. This superb work is titled "Aurelia" and shows the portrait of a woman. Aurelia was a series of 3 etchings in which this was the first. Numbered 3 out of 5 published prints. The paper has an inscription by the artist dedicating it to Miss Freda L. Klapp, a well respected print collector from San Diego who donated important pieces to museums such as the San Diego Museum of Art in Balboa Park.

Aurelia, a recurring subject in the portraits of renowned Mexican painter Federico Cantú, was a woman who played a significant role in the artist's life and artistic expression. While her exact identity remains somewhat shrouded in mystery, she is believed to have been a close friend and muse to Cantú, inspiring numerous works that capture her beauty, strength, and enigmatic presence.

Cantú's portraits of Aurelia stand as testaments to his admiration for this enigmatic woman, capturing her essence and immortalizing her within his art. Through his masterful brushstrokes, he immortalized her beauty, strength, and enigmatic aura, ensuring that Aurelia's captivating presence would continue to intrigue and inspire for generations to come.

Freda L. Klapp was a prominent collector and the first director of The Art Center in La Jolla CA in 1941. Housed in the former residence of Ellen Browning Scripps and designed by Irving J. Gill, this institution eventually became what is now the Museum of Contemporary Art of San Diego.