Federico Cantú Grabado Aurelia II 1949 Provenance Freda Klapp

Description

Federico Cantu Grabado Aurelia #2 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 second. 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 was a woman who played a significant role in the artist's life and artistic expression. Cantu would often depict her with a captivating gaze, her features delicately rendered and imbued with a sense of introspection. Her attire varies across the paintings, sometimes adorned in traditional Mexican garb, other times portrayed in more contemporary clothing. Yet, a consistent element is her captivating presence, conveying a sense of depth and inner strength.

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.