Manuel Ángeles Ortiz

MANUEL ÁNGELES ORTIZ (Jaén, 1895 – Paris, 1984).
"Multiple Heads."
Oil on panel.
Certificate attached by Ms. Lina Davidov Ángeles (the painter’s granddaughter)
Signed in the lower left corner.
Measurements: 60 x 50 cm; 74.5 x 64.5 cm (frame).
The composition is structured around large oval and geometric shapes, delineated by bold black lines and organized into an almost architectural structure. The predominance of greens, nuanced by ochres, yellows, and oranges, creates an intense chromatic dialogue, while the visible brushstrokes preserve the spontaneity of the painterly gesture.
The work reflects one of the most personal aspects of Manuel Ángeles Ortiz, a key figure in the renewal of 20th-century Spanish painting. Linked to the Parisian avant-garde and close to Pablo Picasso, he developed a language of his own in which the Cubist legacy is combined with a lyrical sensibility and a constant exploration of the organization of space. The simplification of forms and their transformation into autonomous structures allow this composition to be linked to the artist’s mature work, particularly with works such as *Paisaje en el interior* (1972), held by the University of Jaén, where plant motifs are reduced to geometric forms and color takes on a structural and expressive role. It is also worth comparing this work to *Geometric Head* (1960), cited by the Reina Sofía Museum as an example of Ángeles Ortiz’s compositional exploration.
The interest of this piece lies in the way the artist moves beyond naturalistic representation to construct a space of rhythm, balance, and chromatic tension. Her artistic language maintains links with Cubism but avoids a strictly analytical interpretation: the forms take on an organic and evocative quality, in which geometry coexists with the freedom of the brushstroke.
Manuel Ángeles Ortiz (Jaén, 1895 – Paris, 1984) was one of the leading figures of the Spanish School of Paris. Trained in Granada under José Larrocha and in Madrid under Cecilio Plá, he developed an artistic style marked by the influence of Picasso, Cubism, and the exploration of dreamlike and geometric forms. His friendship with Manuel de Falla strengthened the dialogue between Spanish folk tradition and the avant-garde. After the Civil War, he went into exile in Buenos Aires and returned to Paris in 1948, establishing an international career. His work is included in major public collections, such as the Reina Sofía Museum, ARTIUM, the Patio Herreriano Museum, and the Musée de Grenoble, as well as the MAPFRE, Telefónica, and Federico García Lorca foundations.