Accession Number
1987/1.164

Title
Council

Artist(s)
Rafael Coronel

Artist Nationality
Mexican

Object Creation Date
circa 1951-1987

Medium & Support
oil on board

Dimensions
11 13/16 in x 19 11/16 in (30 cm x 50.01 cm);16 1/4 in x 24 in (41.28 cm x 60.96 cm)

Credit Line
Joseph and Mildred Hartsook Collection

Subject matter
Mexican artist Rafael Coronel was a figure painter interested in portraiture, often expressive frontal compositions, and the representation of characters, theatrical gestures, and spatial ambiguity, all seen here. The dark gloominess and the figures represented are similar to Coronel's painting Concilio Familiar (ca. 1960). In the 1950s, Coronel's art became more abstract, depicting faces geometrically in his portraits. Later, in the 1960s, he embraced abstract expressionism. Coronel was influenced by European artists Goya, Rembrandt, Ucello, and Vermeer. 

Physical Description
A group portrait of three figures shown from the chest up, against a black background. An older man faces forward, in the center, with gray hair and a gray beard. The person to his right faces and stares intently at him. The person to his left appears younger, has tousled hair and gazes off to the side.

Primary Object Classification
Painting

Collection Area
Modern and Contemporary

Rights
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Keywords
Mexican
elderly
faces
group portraits
modern and contemporary art