The Letter by Daniel Serra-Badue
This is a lithograph by surrealist artist Daniel Serra-Badue. The title refers to the letter and envelope on the table in the foreground. Less clear is the presence of a large black bird (a raven perhaps?) framed in the window over the table. Is this a portent related to the content of the letter? As with most of the work of Serra-Badue, the answer is not clear. The image hearkens to Magritte, but also Poe (Nevermore!!) An intriguing work of art. It is in pristine condition. It is signed and dated in pencil lower right. The edition is given in pencil lower left (176/250) and titled in pencil lower center. A great example of his print works.
Daniel Serra-Badue (1914 – 1996) Daniel Serra-Badue was a Cuban American artist. His early education was at the Escuela Municipal de Bellas Artes in Santiago de Cuba. At age 13 he had the opportunity to travel to New York City to study with painter José Simont. The next year he was admitted to the Art Students League—the youngest student ever accepted to the school. The next year he went to Barcelona to study with Enrique Pascual Monturiol for a year before returning to Santiago to study with Hernandez Giró. He stayed in Cuba until 1962 when he fled to the United States to escape the communist takeover. In 1994, he was a featured artist in a television documentary, Artists in Exile, directed by Ray Blanco. He lived in New York/New Jersey until his death.
Serra-Badue is sometimes referred to as the Godfather of Cuban painting. He was heavily influenced by the Surrealists and incorporated their ideas into his work. His work was recognized early on. He was the first Cuban artist to win a Guggenheim Fellowship, actually receiving two Fellowships in 1938 and 1939. He also was one of the first recipients of a Cintas Fellowship (1963 and 1964), which supports Cuban arts and humanities. In addition to painting, he was an accomplished graphic artist, primarily lithographs. He exhibited widely and his work is held in prestigious collections including the Museum of Modern Art (New York), Museu d Art Contemporani de Barcelona, the Portland Art Museum, the Lowe Art Museum (University of Miami), and the Cuban Foundation Museum (Daytona Beach, FL).
Price: $60
Size: 17.5 x 13 inches
Plate Size: 13.5 x 9 inches
Condition: Pristine
Medium: Lithograph
Subject: Surrealism
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