École espagnole (XX) - Portrait orientaliste





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Portrait orientaliste, oil on panel, by A. Cano, signed in the lower right, Spanish origin, dated 1950–1960, dimensions 55 × 51 cm, original edition and sold with a frame.
Description from the seller
A. Cano
Male head of oriental character
Oil on panel
Oil on panel signed “A. Cano” in the lower right corner, depicting a three-quarter bust with an elevated gaze and introspective expression. The work presents facial features and attire that may suggest a figure of oriental or Arab character, within the Orientalist pictorial tradition or of biblical inspiration.
The portrait stands out for its powerful volumetric modeling, built with a warm palette dominated by ochres, earth tones, and reddish hues that give intensity and depth to the flesh tones. The treatment of the beard and hair is resolved with loose and confident brushwork, adding texture and dynamism to the painted surface. The neutral background, worked with soft transitions and glazes, amplifies the sculptural presence of the figure and concentrates attention on the facial expression.
From a stylistic standpoint, the work is inscribed within a figurative language of an academic root, with interest in anatomy and light, but executed with a certain freedom in the brushstroke, especially evident in the rendering of hair and beard.
Technique: oil on panel
Signature: “A. Cano”, lower right corner
Provenance: acquired at Subastas Durán (Madrid) about 20 years ago
Conservation status: generally consistent with a pictorial work of this nature; slight signs of aging appreciable.
Frame: included only as a courtesy. It is not part of the artwork’s monetary value and its condition or conservation during transport is not guaranteed.
A work of notable expressive force and decorative presence, suitable for collectors of figurative portraiture and painting with Orientalist or biblical inspiration.
Seller's Story
A. Cano
Male head of oriental character
Oil on panel
Oil on panel signed “A. Cano” in the lower right corner, depicting a three-quarter bust with an elevated gaze and introspective expression. The work presents facial features and attire that may suggest a figure of oriental or Arab character, within the Orientalist pictorial tradition or of biblical inspiration.
The portrait stands out for its powerful volumetric modeling, built with a warm palette dominated by ochres, earth tones, and reddish hues that give intensity and depth to the flesh tones. The treatment of the beard and hair is resolved with loose and confident brushwork, adding texture and dynamism to the painted surface. The neutral background, worked with soft transitions and glazes, amplifies the sculptural presence of the figure and concentrates attention on the facial expression.
From a stylistic standpoint, the work is inscribed within a figurative language of an academic root, with interest in anatomy and light, but executed with a certain freedom in the brushstroke, especially evident in the rendering of hair and beard.
Technique: oil on panel
Signature: “A. Cano”, lower right corner
Provenance: acquired at Subastas Durán (Madrid) about 20 years ago
Conservation status: generally consistent with a pictorial work of this nature; slight signs of aging appreciable.
Frame: included only as a courtesy. It is not part of the artwork’s monetary value and its condition or conservation during transport is not guaranteed.
A work of notable expressive force and decorative presence, suitable for collectors of figurative portraiture and painting with Orientalist or biblical inspiration.

