Antique painting - Two Faces by Ignasi Vidal

Ignasi Vidal i Molné (1904–1988) is an artist of historical and artistic significance. A notable Catalan painter of figures, portraits, illustrator, etcher and also a prominent Monegasque figure - close friend of Princess Grace Kelly and King Ranier.

This work is is a fine example of Vidal at his artistic height - signed and dated Paris, 1959.   It showcases his distinctive style and visual impact, a compelling dual portrait - two stylised expressive faces, one in profile, the other looking out of the frame into an unknown space, drawing on the influence of Greek classical figures but with an added sense of androgyny.  These are clever vignettes - appearing to be simply drawn with fluid strokes and yet whole composition is compellingly brought together by the expressive line work, which has been highly controlled and determined. Vidal has skillfully combined the use of mixed media techniques - water colour, ink and gouache to create emotional intensity. There is an interplay of warm earthy tones, yellows, ochres, pinks and browns which are juxtaposed with cooler accents of green and a distinct and intentional use of a partial blue background to separate the two faces and create distance between them as characters. The painting also demonstrates Vidal’s surrealist tendencies – each face is both haunting and mesmerising. They invite the viewer into their enigmatic world, and yet we do not feel we know who or what they are, we can only guess and wonder about them.

All the elements of this work come together to make it a visually pleasing and intellectually stimulating work.

History ~
Vidal was born in Barcelona, the son of the writer Cosme Vidal i Rosich, and he initially trained as a draftsman. Throughout his career he regularly collaborated with his brother Lluís. When living in Catalan he worked as a book illustrator and advertising designer, taking part in many local Spanish Art Exhibitions.

In 1939, having supported the Republicans in the Spanish Civil War, he and Lluís left Spain going into exile, moving initially to France, and then settling in the principality of Monaco in 1941. In 1945 they opened a drawing studio in Monte Carlo, working with many of the best Catalan artists of the time. In the same year they took part in an art exhibition at the Altarriba Gallery in Paris, (to benefit Catalan deportees and prisoners who were returning from Germany), where his work was shown alongside renowned artists such as Picasso.

During his artistic career Vidal participated in many important collective exhibitions. These included Salons de Printemps in Barcelona and Salons d’Automne in Madrid (1931–1933), Paris (1948–1952), and Malmaison (1982). In addition, he held solo exhibitions in Barcelona (1931, 1932), Monte Carlo (1941, 1958), and a retrospective in Nice (1959). He was also Vice-President of the UNESCO Comité d’Arts Plastiques for Monaco.

Condition ~
The gouache is drawn on paper with a mount around it and is set within a period 1950s French painted wooden frame.

Dimensions ~
H 40 l W 46 l D 4 cm