Francis Newton Souza (1924 - 2002)

Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Harold Kovner
Acquired from the above by an acquaintance of Mr. Kovner; thence by descent

E. Mullins, Souza, Anthony Blond Ltd., London, 1962, illustration p. 87

There is minor hairline craquelure in the area of brown impasto on the right edge of the work. This work is in good condition, as viewed. Color: There is more tonal variation in the color than in the catalogue illustration.
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This historically significant work by Francis Newton Souza hails from the collection of Harold Kovner, a respected American art collector. Souza was introduced to Kovner by the gallerist Iris Clert in Paris in 1956. Immediately impressed with Souza's work, they entered into an arrangement whereby Souza was to produce a number of canvases every few months for Kovner in exchange for a monthly stipend. This patronage lasted for four years, into 1960, and this freedom from the constraints of financial burdens allowed Souza to paint as he pleased and led to a period of notable artistic output. Souza produced some of his finest and most iconic works during this time, of which the current painting from 1960 is an extraordinary example.

This work is a portrait of Jaime Sabartés Gual, and is inspired by a painting created by Pablo Picasso in 1939. That very year, Sabartés moved to Paris to serve as Picasso’s secretary and was responsible for the organisation of his possessions and arrangement of his art exhibitions. The large ceremonial collar usually asserts the importance of the subject but in this case, the outfit overwhelms Sabartés and becomes satirical in nature. This tongue-in-cheek portrayal is an affectionate gesture towards Sabartés who was instrumental in supporting and assisting Picasso.

The painting by Picasso is strangely captivating, and depicts Sabartés in a fragmented manner that was typical of Picasso’s ouevre, almost as if one was viewing his profile in a cracked mirror. Stimulated by this painting, and as an ode to the great painter, Souza sought to create his own version of the work. It is interesting to note that although the subject matter and even the costume of Sabartés remain the same, Souza has transformed this work into one that is uniquely his own. Devoid of the extreme fragmentation and with a more lucidly ordered composition, this painting has some of Souza’s most remarkable characteristics, including the use of strong black borders and an unnatural colour palette. Where Picasso had played with the structure of the painting, Souza played with colour. The yellowed skin tone strikes a pleasing balance with the rich plum coloured background and further emphasizes Souza’s distinctive mastery. This painting is special not only for its robust provenance, hailing from the collection of Souza’s greatest patron and supporter, but also the subject matter, acknowledging one of the world’s greatest Modern masters.