Description:

René Portocarrero — gouache on paper, listed Cuban visual artist.

Complex figurative composition featuring stylized and fragmented human figures constructed in a decorative, almost mosaic-like visual language. The work is executed with a characteristic linear structure and fields of color in warm tones. Signed and dated 1970.

Origin: Cuba
Material: Gouache on paper
Dimensions: Image size 69 × 98 cm; total size 88 × 119 cm
Period: 1970
Condition: In very good condition with minor signs of wear

Provenance: From the family of Elof Hansson
The trading company Elof Hansson AB (EH) was founded by Elof Hansson in Gothenburg and developed in the early 20th century into an international trading enterprise.
Cuba and international trade :
A key part of EH’s early success was its activities in Cuba, where it traded commodities such as sugar and other raw materials. These connections made the company an important link between Scandinavia and the Caribbean and positioned EH among the more globally oriented Swedish trading firms of the period.
Art and collecting tradition :
Alongside its commercial activities, Elof Hansson built an art collection. This interest was continued within the family, and his descendants carried on collecting art.

Bio :
René Portocarrero (1912–1985) was one of the central figures of Cuban modernism and belonged to the so-called second generation of vanguardia artists. His works are characterized by a rich, ornamented visual world with strong use of color and an almost baroque density of detail. In the 1950s, he moved toward a more geometric and abstract style, where figures and architectural forms dissolve into decorative structures. Portocarrero exhibited internationally and is represented in major collections worldwide.