Roberto Matta

ROBERTO MATTA ECHAURREN (Santiago, Chile, 1911 – Civitavecchia, Italy, 2002).
“Chaosmos,” “Hom’mere” Series, 1974.
Engraving. H.C. copy.
Signed and dated.
Measurements: 49 x 37 cm (plate); 65 x 50 cm (paper); 76.5 x 61 cm (frame).

“Chaosmos” from the “Hom’mere” series is an excellent example of the poetic and philosophical imagery developed by Roberto Matta in his graphic work. The title, which combines the notions of homme (man) and Homère (Homer) with the concept of Chaosmos, alludes to the constant tension between chaos and order—a recurring theme in the artist’s thought. True to his surrealist language, Matta constructs a space of intense visual energy, populated by organic forms and transforming structures that evoke the processes of creation, consciousness, and the origin of the universe. The composition invites the viewer to enter a realm where science, myth, and poetry converge—essential traits of one of the most unique artistic careers of the 20th century.

In addition to his renowned body of paintings, Roberto Matta produced a significant body of graphic work. Trained as an architect and a key figure in

international Surrealism, the artist trained in Santiago, Chile, and in Le Corbusier’s studio in Paris, where he befriended artists such as Picasso and Marcel Duchamp. Matta played a decisive role in the renewal of 20th-century painting and influenced the birth of American Abstract Expressionism. Throughout his career, he explored various media of expression without ever abandoning his unique vision of the universe as a space in constant transformation. His work is held in major international collections, including those of the Museum of Modern Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Tate in London, and the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum in Madrid.