Elmyr De Hory (1906-1976) - Picador

Elmyr de Hory (1906–1976)

Portrait with a wide-brimmed hat

Ink on paper. Hand-signed. DIN A4 format (29.7 × 21 cm).

Original work by Elmyr de Hory, one of the most fascinating and controversial figures in 20th century art history. Born in Budapest in 1906 and died in Ibiza in 1976, he gained international notoriety for his extraordinary ability to recreate the styles of some of the great masters of modern art, including Picasso, Matisse, Modigliani, Derain, and Dufy. His life inspired Clifford Irving’s book Fake!, and he was immortalized by Orson Welles in the famous documentary F for Fake (1973), a foundational work on authenticity and the art market.

After his activity as a forger was revealed, critics and collectors began to value his signed works, recognizing in Elmyr an artist with his own language, an extraordinary capacity for synthesis, and an exceptional command of drawing.

The present work depicts a three-quarter male portrait, crowned by a wide-brimmed hat. The face, of intense expressiveness, is constructed through a spontaneous and confident stroke, with a combination of rapid and precise lines that masterfully define the anatomy and psychology of the character. The economy of means, the ease of drawing, and the compositional elegance reveal the artist’s great graphic dexterity and evoke the tradition of the European modern portrait.

Far from being a mere exercise in style, this drawing demonstrates Elmyr’s ability to create characters with strong presence using only a few strokes, a quality that characterizes his best works on paper.

Technique: Ink on paper.
Signature: Hand-signed in the lower right corner.
Format: DIN A4 (29.7 × 21 cm).
Condition: Very good, with slight signs of aging and handling consistent with the age of the support.