Portrait of Julio de Diego Silver Gelatin Photograph

Item Details

Artist unknown
Untitled (portrait of Julio de Diego), late 20th century
Unsigned

A silver gelatin photographic portrait of Spanish-American artist Julio de Diego (1900 – 1979). Shot by an unknown photographer, the rich image depicts a raffish Diego straddling a chair, focusing his steady eyes in a direct gaze with the viewer. With a bangled wrist he holds up a smoking pipe, his other hand thoughtfully cradling his chin while boasting a large statement ring on the middle finger. A full head of unruly thick hair styled by wind and wandering hands encircles his sun-hardened face.

Born in Spain, Diego left home at the age of 15 to purge his life of a controlling, enraged father, who had obliterated ‘every drawing in the house.’ He soon showed work at a casino and sold his first painting, and took up work at a studio in Madrid making scenery props for operas. He appeared as an extra in a production and became the art director for another. After enlisting in the Spanish cavalry in his teens and serving for two years, he cut off all contact with his family and moved to Paris, where he became deeply immersed in the art movements of the time, specifically Cubism, Abstraction, and Surrealism.
In 1924, Diego picked up and relocated to the United States, desiring to start over. He obtained more work with set design in Florida, and worked as a fashion illustrator. In 1926, he turned his focus to painting and moved to Chicago, where he exhibited at the Art Institute. He began to win many awards, and was commissioned to design the chapel doors of St. Gregory’s Church.
In the 1930s, Diego moved to Mexico, where he began making jewelry inspired by Mexican artifacts and muralist Carlos Mérida. In 1946, he showed his work at the Museum of Modern Art. Throughout the rest of his life and two failed marriages, he continued his work in set design, painting murals, and making jewelry, living in California before finally settling in Sarasota, Florida, where he spent his final years.

Condition

- item examined outside of frame; creases and cracks throughout particularly notable to image to the left of face and to the upper right corner; scratches and nicks particularly along edges of image; loss across upper edge of image; marks to the left of face; nicks, chips, and scratches to the frame.

Dimensions

- measures frame; visible image measures 15.5" W x 19.5" H.

Item #

ITMG523221