Fran Gonzalez (1959) - Gold Portrait (XXL) (con bastidor)

Title: Gold Portrait (XXL)

Theme: "Gold Portrait" (XXL) belongs to a new series of Triptychs on Framing (wall-ready pieces) and connects with the artistic line started more than 40 years ago by sculptor and gilder Fran González (Contemporary Gilding).

"Portrait of Contemporary Couple" is a large mural work, elegant and luminous. Its exuberant richness of textures, its strong presence and Brutalist aesthetic, is a tribute to 20th-century Art, in particular to the French painter Jean Dubuffet and at the same time to the world of Luxury Interior Design. This mural work is designed to fill any interior space with magic and warmth.

Fran González, an artist specialized in the use of gold leaf as a contemporary artistic medium, centers his work on the union of artisanal traditions with experimentation and the creation of novel exclusive techniques. His reinterpretation of gilding and the use of unconventional materials as an artistic language differentiate him within the contemporary art scene. In Fran González’s work, gold leaf and other metals (bronze, aluminum, silver, etc.) are used as an expressive and symbolic medium, beyond a merely decorative value.

The work is delivered with a certificate guaranteeing its authenticity, authorship and provenance.

Warnings: the work is shipped packed in a thick cardboard box measuring 60x80x5 cm, with a double protective wrap.

It is also remembered that the proportions and colors appearing in some photomontages (mockups) may not correspond exactly to reality and are offered only as a reference for the piece’s presence in a contemporary interior design context.
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Technique: Acrylic and Gilding on primed cotton canvas mounted on a stretcher (no frame). Application of several coats of imitation gold leaf with patinas made with acid.
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About gilding techniques: The traditional gilding technique consists of applying very thin sheets of metal (gold, silver, imitation gold [i.e., bronze], aluminum, copper, etc.) onto any artistic surface (wood, metal, ceramic, textiles, etc.).
Contemporary Gilding: Contemporary gilding techniques are unique and exclusive to Fran González and stem from the experimental philosophy of 20th-century contemporary art, developed over more than 40 years of professional career, and they give the works qualities that radiate a magical light that permeates the space where they are displayed.
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Shipping: wrapped, protected packaging
Total dimensions of the triptych: 265 cm x 75 cm (XXL) depending on orientation and composition made with the canvases.
Hand-signed on the reverse Fran González, by @contemporarygilding
Year 2026
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Fran González (Spain, 1959) is a contemporary artist who works gilding techniques from a current perspective. Under the name "Contemporary Gilding" he explores the contrast between the material and the symbolic through unique works and limited series.
González’s career began in 1982 when, after studying Engineering at the Polytechnic University of Madrid, he decided to devote himself full-time to Sculpture and Ceramics. He studied Art at the School of Fine Arts of Madrid, the Official School of Ceramics of Madrid and participated in various Contemporary Art Workshops at the Circulo de Bellas Artes in Madrid with relevant Contemporary Artists such as Julian Schnabel, Eva Lootz, Juan Hidalgo and Valcárcel Medina, between 1982 and 1990.
Although his development has been mainly self-taught, Fran González has achieved from the start of his career various national and international awards and recognitions. Thanks to having resided in several European countries his works are in numerous private collections in France, the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Sweden, the United Kingdom and Ireland and the USA.
More extensive information about his work and career can be found by using Google with the tags "Fran Gonzalez" and "Contemporary Gilding".
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Fran González in the media:
(Article about FG in the European Portal of Craftsmanship "Mad’in Europe" (Excerpts))

"Fran(cisco) González is a contemporary ceramist, sculptor, painter and gilder whose practice unites traditional craft and innovative technique. With more than four decades of experience, his work reflects a continuous dialogue between material, process and inspiration. His main gilding method, used around 80% of the time, is water gilding, which he chooses for its lower toxicity and sustainability, especially when working indoors...

Much of Francisco’s work draws inspiration from archaeological artifacts and ancient cultures. Whether Greek, Etruscan, Phoenician, Roman, Chinese, Japanese, or the rich hybrid Arab culture in Spain, his fascination lies not only in past forms and techniques, but in the emotional resonance they carry. This emotional depth permeates his ceramics, gilded sculptures and even his evolving jewelry design.
This curiosity led him to prehistoric origins and, little by little, to experimenting with new materials and forms..."