AGAPITO LABIOS PORTRAITS OF GIRL AND BOY MEXICAN PAINTING
Item History & Price
Thank you for visiting our site. We have been in business since 1974 and wanted to expand our selling experience to the internet. Visiting us, you are supporting a service disabled veteran owned small business. We cherish our country and you as a perspective customer. Enjoy your experience and please let us know what we can do to improve your visit.... We are pleased to present This original work is an earlier piece by Agapito before he added the playful back...grounds. The oil on canvas is in wonderful condition for its age. Mexican Artist Agapito Labios, started his career from a jail cell. It is interesting how his story starts from a jail cell to auctions at Sotheby's and Christie's.Born in Pachuca, Hidalgo, Mexico in 1898, Labios would go on to start his career in a most turbulent time in Mexico. From 1910 to 1920 the Mexican Revolution took place, which saw Francisco I. Madero, a wealthy land owner, challenge Porfirio Díaz who had been in power for 35 years. Díaz won the fixed election which lead to an armed conflict which overthrew Díaz and a new election was held in 1911, which brought Madero to the presidency.Labios' active role in the Mexican Revolution landed him in jail. It was here that he started painting on his jail cell wall. His works were spotted by the mayor of Pachuca, who ordered Labios to teach his two daughters, spurring on Labios' career.Agapito went on to make a living out of his Folk art figure paintings. The artist's work is defined by his highly stylized portraits, often with children as the subjects in formal dress, with typical Mexican backgrounds such as farming fields and or town squares.Labios sold his work in La Lagunilla Market, in Mexico City, on Sundays, gaining him popularity and success. This lead to Agapito opening his own shop in Mexico City, which his son took ownership of after Labios' death in 1996.Works by Agapito were sold in the sale of Katharine Hepburn's estate on June 10, 2004, at Sotheby's, New York. Five signed works by Agapito sold for $8 400 against an estimate of $3, 000 to $5, 000 in the auction at Sotheby's.Each of these small portraits or oils on canvas are 13 1/2" x 17 3/4" with a canvas size of 12" x 16". There are a few scuff marks on the canvas. Please review the pictures as they are part of the description. CDM 2-28-18
