September 3, 2018

Carlos Lopez, Untitled, n.d., gouache and ink on paper. 

In this untitled painting by Carlos Lopez, two figures stand in an ambiance of saturated blues, reds, teals, and yellow. One is a king, or some royal character, with a yellow pointed crown to firmly sit atop his head. His outline barely surfaces, but with close observation, one can make out his profile, following the crown down to his closed eyes, his nose, and his dark beard, and eventually being able to distinguish his colorfully patterned garment from the rest of the dense gouache. To the viewer’s left of the king is another figure, perhaps a page or squire. While the character on the right holds a goblet, the one on the left holds a horn up to his mouth, presumably blowing into it. Overall, the painting in congested with colors and thick black contours. This effect makes the subject nearly unrecognizable and the work almost abstract.

Where from did Lopez pull these characters? This untitled work could simply depict characters from a medieval-like fantasy, or regular people playing dress-up or putting on a performance. But Lopez’s fascination with the medieval was somewhat persistent in his work. One painting, titled Traveling Minstrels from 1951 (in the collection of the Detroit Institute of Arts) also depicts medieval characters– minstrels were musicians and singers who performed for people of nobility and royalty. In the latter part of his painting career, Lopez began to create works with an aura of sorrow, isolation, and complexity, evident in his painting of three minstrels.

Although the date of this untitled gouache painting is unknown, and the expressions of the figures are difficult to read, what is particularly interesting is the portrait of a man that appears on the other side of the paper. Unlike the two men on the front, this man’s features are clearly visible. His tired eyes are open and direct and his expression is palpable. His furrowed eyebrows either reflect concentration or concern, possibly both- states of being that parallel the passion of his later works, including Traveling Minstrels. Who is this man? Is he the artist himself? Is there a relationship between this man and the subject matter on the front?

Whether or not we understand completely what is meant to be expressed on both sides of this work of art, one thing seems evident: whatever is expressed is acutely personal and perhaps falls under a coherent theme found in the work of Carlos Lopez.

This untitled painting was donated to the Wayne State University Art collection by the estate of Marguerite (Peggy) de Salle, a long-time contributor and supporter of the WSU Art Collection.

Written by Danielle Cervera Bidigare

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