Wifredo Lam, Lithograph, 20th Century

Lithograph depicting hybrid creatures, with both animal and anthropomorphic features, in shades of brown and black enhanced with touches of red on a plain light background. The work is from a series entitled “Against a Dry House,” created in 1975.

Signed in pencil and marked “HC” (Hors Commerce – Not for Sale).

Wifredo Oscar de la Concepción Lam y Castilla, known as Wifredo Lam (1902–1982), was a Cuban artist of Chinese descent on his father's side and Afro-Spanish on his mother's. Drawn to drawing from a young age, he trained at the School of Fine Arts in Havana, then at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando, and at the Escuela Libre de Paisaje in Madrid. Regularly visiting the Prado Museum, he was profoundly influenced by the Old Masters, such as Hieronymus Bosch and Bruegel. In 1938, he flew to Paris where he met Pablo Picasso, André Breton, Georges Braque, and the entire Surrealist avant-garde, who greatly influenced him. He then left occupied France for the United States before returning to Cuba. There, he reconnected with his Afro-Cuban roots and witnessed Voodoo rituals, which would later resonate in his work. After the war, he traveled throughout Europe and America while his success grew: he participated in numerous exhibitions (Salon de Mai, Venice Biennale, etc.), the Museum of Modern Art acquired one of his works, and monographs were dedicated to him. In the 1950s, he discovered Albissola Marina in Liguria, a gathering place for many artists (Lucio Fontana, Karel Appel, Piero Manzoni, etc.), and he returned there regularly, appreciating the artistic energy of this small coastal town. He also continued to make frequent trips to his native country, notably creating a painting entitled “The Third World” for the presidential palace in Havana. He continued to create art until the end of his life, despite suffering a stroke in 1978, and upon his death in 1982, a state funeral was held in the Cuban capital.

Good condition.
20th century.

Dimensions:
Framed: 62.5 x 70 cm;
Image size: 43.5 x 51 cm