Antonio Saura

ANTONIO SAURA (Huesca, 1930–Cuenca, 1998).
“Untitled.” From the series “Four Masks for Four Self-Portraits.”
Black silkscreen print on paper, print no. 34/80.
Signed and numbered in pencil.
Stamp from Kunstwerk Paris-Cuenca.
Link Art Company label on the reverse.
Measurements: 61 × 44 cm (paper); 85 × 65 cm (frame)

The work belongs to Antonio Saura’s series “Four Masks for Four Self-Portraits,” published in 1981. The face appears split and distorted through nervous drawing, ink stains, and spontaneous strokes, becoming a superimposition of masks rather than a conventional physiognomic representation.

The expressive treatment of the figure ties in with Spanish Informalism and with the artistic explorations Saura has pursued since his involvement with the El Paso group. The chromatic reduction to black and the natural tone of the paper intensifies the tension of the gesture, while the fragmentation of the face reflects his constant interest in identity, monstrosity, and the tradition of Spanish portraiture.

Antonio Saura was a key figure in Spanish Informalism and a founding member of the El Paso group. His work is held in institutions such as the Reina Sofía Museum, the Guggenheim Bilbao, and the Centre Pompidou, which houses numerous paintings and drawings by the artist.