Angeles Manzanaro | Female portrait with hat | Oil on canvas | 1987

A work with a strong chromatic presence and technical duality. This 1987 portrait combines physiognomic subtlety with the material forcefulness of the surroundings, offering a piece of marked visual character and excellent provenance.

History and Curatorial Analysis

Ángeles Manzanaro structures this oil painting around an evident stylistic contrast. On one hand, the young woman's face is rendered with soft, ethereal brushstrokes that focus attention on her penetrating gaze. On the other hand, the wide-brimmed hat and the backgrounds vibrate thanks to a vigorous use of the palette knife, creating thick impasto and very marked earthy and golden textures. The focal point is established by the daisies, which bring luminosity and break the warmth of the overall composition. The work is especially notable for its traceability, as it retains on its reverse an original handwritten dedication from the artist ("To Mercedes Peña / with affection from / Angeles Manzanaro / 6.4.1987").

Reasons for the collection

• Documentary value: The original and dated dedication on the reverse guarantees the direct provenance and material history of the piece.

• Technical contrast: The coexistence of a polished finish on the figure with a strong abstract impasto in the background demonstrates a solid mastery of pictorial resources.

• Aesthetic power: Its warm palette, combined with the pronounced texture of the paint, makes it an ideal work to add character to contemporary interior design.

Technical Data Sheet

• Artist: Ángeles Manzanaro.

• Theme: Female portrait / Figure with hat.

• Medium: Oil on canvas.

• Dimensions: 63 x 52.5 cm (Artwork) / 76.5 x 65 cm (Frame).

• Signature: Signed "A. Manzanaro" and dated "1987" in the lower right corner. Original dedication on the reverse.

• Condition: Acceptable. The pictorial layer maintains stable coloring. There is an old repair in the upper central half, stabilized on the reverse, which leaves a slight mark on the texture of the obverse (hat area). It is recommended to review the photographs as a binding document.

• Includes: Original period frame and professional transport insurance.

The Workshop's Note

A portrait does not have to be limited to mere anatomical representation. Here, the artist uses relief and color to endow the figure with a particular aura. The honesty with which the piece displays the marks of time and its ancient interventions does not detract from its quality, but rather certifies its journey over the decades. A sincere painting, with a physical history and firmly documented authorship.