Valledoré (1934) - The Mirror

Artist: Edmund Valladares (b. 1934)

Renowned Argentine painter, sculptor, and filmmaker. A prominent figure of Argentine Neo-Figurativism (Nueva Figuración) and Latin American Expressionism.

Title: „El Espejo” (The Mirror)
Year of Creation: 1967
Medium: Mixed media on paper/cardboard (ink, pen, watercolor/tempera washes, and collage elements).
Artwork Dimensions: 85 × 66 cmTotal Dimensions (with frame): 95 × 76 cm (Frame width: 5 cm)
Signature: Hand-signed and dated by the artist in the upper right corner: „Valladares 67.”
Provenance & Authenticity: Guaranteed authentic. The reverse side features the original, hand-written Certificate of Authenticity (Certificado de Autenticidad) issued on May 6, 1972, by the prestigious Ática Galería de Arte in Buenos Aires.
Framing: Housed in its original, period-correct Argentine wooden frame with a textile mat/passe-partout liner, crafted by Marquería ML Latina (Sarandí 669, Buenos Aires).

Artwork Description

This museum-quality, large-scale artwork dates from Edmund Valladares' highly progressive and sought-after early period (1967). The piece serves as a textbook example of the South American Nueva Figuración movement. Built from a dense, expressive, and almost restless network of ink and pen lines, the figures — a standing man with a hat, a seated woman on the left, and tightly intertwined figures on the right — create a tense, intellectual atmosphere.

The monochrome graphical figures are masterfully contrasted by warm brown and subtle pink stains in the background, combined with geometric, Thonet-style patterned collage elements on the chair.

The title

The Mirror, adds profound existential depth to the scene, inviting a psychological exploration of human relationships, gaze, and identity.

Condition Report

The artwork is in good, stable, and completely authentic vintage condition, coming directly from a private collection.
The specific condition notes are as follows:
Support (Paper/Cardboard): The paper has naturally and evenly toned over the decades, acquiring a warm vintage patina that confirms its age. Minor age-related spots (foxing) and slight, natural waviness are visible across the surface, but the support remains fully intact with no tears, rips, or holes.
Media (Ink/Paint): The black ink lines and collage components retain excellent contrast and have not faded. The background brown splatters and washes are part of the artist's original action-painting execution.

Frame & Reverse: The original 5 cm wide wooden frame is structurally sound, showing minor surface wear and small scuffs consistent with its age, which enhance its antique character. The gallery certificate on the reverse is fragmented, showing tears and paper loss around the edges, but the handwritten registration details (artist name, title, measurements, date) remain clearly legible and verifiable.