Portrait of a Seated Man by Alicia Berenguer

Description
A striking and highly decorative 1939 oil on canvas portrait of a seated young man, signed Alicia Berenguer and dated 6-7-39 to the lower left.
The sitter is portrayed bare-chested in an intimate and contemplative pose, leaning forward with one arm resting across his body and the other raised above his head. His face is carefully observed, with the artist using subtle modelling and warm tonal variations to give considerable presence and character to the figure.

The relatively naturalistic treatment of the sitter contrasts dramatically with the richly coloured and increasingly abstract arrangement surrounding him. Deep blues, burnt orange, burgundy, red and ochre appear across an assortment of patterned textiles, creating a powerful decorative framework around the figure.

Behind the sitter, the composition opens to the left onto a mountainous landscape, while a colourful architectural or decorative form introduces further geometric pattern. The combination of landscape, vibrant textiles and saturated colour gives the painting a distinctly Mediterranean character, possibly Spanish or North African in inspiration.

Stylistically, the work occupies an interesting position between traditional figurative portraiture and early 20th-century Modernism. 

Painted and dated in July 1939, the work was executed during a particularly significant moment in European history and immediately following the end of the Spanish Civil War. While no direct connection between the subject and these events can presently be established, the date provides an interesting historical context for the painting.

Artist
Alicia Berenguer – artist presently unidentified
The signature appears to read “Alicia Berenguer”. Further research would be required to establish the identity and biography of the artist with certainty.

Country of Origin
Possibly Spain

Condition
Good decorative condition consistent with age. The photographs show some age-related surface texture, craquelure and minor marks consistent with a painting dating from 1939. The frame also displays appropriate age-related wear and patination.Please refer to the photographs for further details of condition.

Frame
Presented in a decorative period gilt frame with a broad repeating relief border and inner gilt moulding.