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Mariano Rodriguez
(1912-1990)
Think that you may own a painting by Mariano Rodriguez? We authenticate, appraise, research and issue certificates of authenticity (COA) and provide consultations for all paintings by Mariano Rodriguez.
Born in Havana and
drawn to art at a young age, Mariano Rodriguez was one
of the many Cuban painters of his era that tried to
break away from institutionalized teaching. He rebelled
against many modern trends in his art, and considered
himself more of an Expressionist than an Abstract
artist.
At the age of 24, Rodriguez left for Mexico and studied
under muralist Rodriguez Lozano. It was after this trip
that he devoted himself entirely to painting, and
eventually became a professor at the Escuela Libre de
Pintura. Rodriguez's trip to Mexico had a deep impact on
his painting, not only in methods, but in content. Many
have compared Rodriguez's work to that of modern
Mexican’s of the day, but in truth, he struck out in a
direction all his own.
If there is one theme that is prevalent through all of
Rodriguez's work, then it is roosters. He began to paint
his roosters (or gallos) in the 1940s and they became
very popular and are highly recognizable. If you own a
Cuban painting of a rooster that was created from the
1940s-80s, chances are it is a Rodriguez. His rooster
Rodriguez named simply “Gallo” is a perfect example of
his style.
Gallo, 1983
He would paint his
roosters in almost any medium from oil to gouache and
watercolor, as well as ink on paper or canvas.
Rodriguez's series of roosters was the product of his
inspiration from Picasso and Matisse. It was also his
answer to painting Cuban themes, as roosters are a very
recognizable figure in that country, and are actually a
symbol of power.
One of the striking things to notice about Rodriguez is
that he would sign his works “Mariano” and then the year
he painted his work along with his signature. This was
certainly due to the fact that he had a common last
name. His signature is almost always visible on the
front of his works, especially in his later
compositions. There is also a Guatemalan painter named
Mariano Rodriguez, but his paintings are very abstract
and are painted at a birds eye view. From a distance,
the Guatemalan Rodriguez’s paintings look like a mosaic,
and could never be confused for the Cuban artists work.
Though Rodriguez has been pegged as painting in a
Mexican style, his color palates and themes are also
true to his Cuban heritage. Tropical fruits, flowers and
animals also dominate his oeuvre, as well as figure
studies of women. Some of his fruit still life paintings
take on an almost Surrealist edge, such as “De la Serie
Frutas y Realidad”.
De la Serie Frutas y Realidad, 1969
His Surrealist fruit
images were a part of his “Fruit and Reality” series, in
which he began in 1967. Sometimes Rodriguez would also
paint groups of people in an abstract fashion, such as “Massas”.
Massas, 1981
Could this series of
paintings of huddled masses be a social statement on
Rodriguez's part? This painting was a part of a series
that he began in the 1980’s of groups of people, or
masses. If you own a similar piece like this from Cuba,
it could very well be a Rodriguez. These scenes were
painted in a time of great social and political
disturbance in Cuba, and their historical meaning far
outweighs their artistic value.
Rodriguez also extends a social message in his painting
“Mujere’s Llorando” (1943).
This painting truly shows his strength in the use of
chromatics and his departure from the styles of other
Cuban artists of the day. Rodriguez was revered in his
day for his use of light and the way that he portrayed
the human form, nature and wildlife.
Today, Rodriguez's work is housed in museums in Ecuador,
Colombia, Nicaragua, Argentina, Stockholm, San
Francisco, Chicago, Paris and the Museum of Modern Art
in New York. In his lifetime, Rodriguez won a number of
awards for his exhibitions. His work lies somewhere
between Matisse and Dali, but is all a product of his
Mexican teaching and Cuban heritage.
Do you think you own a painting by Mariano Rodriguez? If you do please contact us. We authenticate, certify and appraise the value of all paintings by Mariano Rodriguez. We are the Mariano Rodriguez experts.
