What if Picasso and Rembrandt had met to have cocktails in 1953? You can imagine the talks they would have had: electric, inspired, and maybe even heated. The work that could have spawned from such a conversation might have looked a bit like that of Cesar Santos. His paintings seemingly bring the works of masters – from the Renaissance to the nineteenth century to Modernism – together, juxtaposing their styles one on top of the other. It’s a patchwork of inspired painting. Santos explains the aim of his work:
”In a suggestive and theatrical way I seek to raise questions, to entice one to probe the imagery that I present and attempt to decipher its meaning.”
The Cuban-American artist has been impressing the art world for some time now, often with his deft skill at weaving together such complex and divergent art forms into a sensible whole. With his well rounded artistic education in various art worlds (he’s attended schools in both Miami, Florida, and Florence, Italy), his works bring a healthy balance of the modern and classic to the canvas. His pieces, painted in oil on linen, have been displayed in the National Gallery in San Jose, Costa Rica; at the Frost Art Museum in Miami; and at the Villa Bardini Museum in Florence.
You can see more of his work on his personal website, santocesar.com.
(Above: Woman with Glasses and Goatee)
Aftermath
Babysitter
Bombast
Intimacy
Picnic in Central Park
Restorers
The Masters Studio
Via muckandnettles
