Manuel Martínez Hugué, known as Manolo (1872-1945) - Lot 38

Manuel Martínez Hugué, known as Manolo (1872-1945) The two bullfighters Model created in 1922 Bronze with light brown patina Bears the founder's stamp "CIRE PERDUE C. VALSUANI H. 25 cm x L. 27 cm After a difficult childhood in Cuba and Barcelona, Manuel Martínez Hugué, known as Manolo, worked at the Masriera foundry at the end of the 19th century, where he met many sculptors. In 1901, he travelled to Paris, where he made friends with the artists of Montmartre and Montparnasse. A hard worker, he was a regular visitor to the Louvre. In 1910, he obtained a contract with the famous art dealer Daniel-Henry Kahnweiler and moved to Céret in the eastern Pyrenees. He frequented the works of Pablo Picasso, Pablo Gargallo, Marc Chagall and Henri Matisse. Although his art was marked by his association with the avant-garde artists of the early 20th century, he remained faithful to figurative painting. His works can be found in major museums, including the Centre Pompidou in Paris, the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Barcelona. Related work: Manuel Manolo, Les deux toreros, 1922, terracotta bas-relief, 26 x 28, Amsterdam, Stedelijk museum, inv. BA 63. Related literature: Blanch Montserrat, Manolo: sculptures, peintures, dessins, Paris, Éditions Cercle d'art, 1974, terracotta model listed under no. 90, p. 62.