Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Found Art: Jose Maria de Servin

Michael Sedano


My friend Alfredo Lascano found three paintings signed Jose Ma de Servin, in garage sales. Any readers familiar with this painter's work?

Painted on rough woven straw burlap, their vibrant colors and distinctive style hold the eye. Two paintings are at least 5 feet long; Lascano found these two years ago, at a San Marino CA garage sale. One of these depicts a Mexica speaking indigenous floricanto while holding a catholic priest's staff. The other presents a woman, presumably la virgen, in royal purple.

The framed portrait of the flower seller, about 28 x 32", he found recently at a north Pasadena garage sale.

Interesting finds, at opposite ends of the valley. A Google search on variants of Servin's name comes up with several ebay sales, a Palm Springs gallery, some stuff in German, and an exhibition some years ago in Guadalajara. I found few biographical details; Servin was born in 1917.

It's gratifying to see sale prices under a thousand dollars--although two works sold through Butterfield & Butterfield auctions at undisclosed prices--because Mr. Lascano intends to keep these and hang them in his home. Given the paucity of information on Jose Ma. de Servin, perhaps there's someone out there in La Blogaland who knows Mexican art and can inform Alfredo's curiosity about this artist.


















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Can you believe it's already almost December? Tempus fugit, gente. See you next week.

mvs

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

No idea about them but they are gorgeous! I'm going to start hitting yardas! Did you hear about the truck driver that bought a Jackson Pollack for five bucks and wanted to throw darts at it?

Ernest M. Saenz said...

Michael, your friend SCORED! Here la neta on Jose Maria de Servin:

Jose Maria de Servin, listed painter, sculptor and muralist was born in Guadalajara, Mexico in 1917.

A member of the group "Pintores Jovenes", he was well known for his Cubist style paintings of portraits, still life and figures. His murals adorn several significant and prominent public locations in Mexico City and Guadalajara.

This wonderful depiction of the Madonna and Child ensconced on the Moon shows de Severn's style at the height of his creativity.

http://www.stewartgalleries.com/JMDeServin.htm

Anonymous said...

this is great!! one year while browsing a goodwill store i came across one of his paintings...i paid $1.98 for it!! didnt know who he was so i had ti apraised. it came in at $800-$1500.00. After that I acquired 4 more...I love his work..He was also a professor at the University of Arizona at one time in his life.

alfonso said...

hi mai name is alfonso iam itrested in seling a penting of servin aoarmstron69@hotmail.com

Christine said...

hi, does anyone know how i find out who represents servin or holds the copyrights? my grandmother has 4 paintings from this collection that her and my grandfather purchased in mexico.

Anonymous said...

Hello, im looking for imformationg on some atr work done by my grandfathers cousin.My granddad also was Guadalajara, Mexico born 1907. The art work is signed "Resendiz" on all 3 art works. 2 of them are a village and the 3ed is about 5 ft. tall of a Mayan indian. He was offered to sell them at the airport as he brought them to california. but he couldnt as his cousin just givin them to him as a gift. I was wanting to know more about his work. my email is hdsalazars@verizon.net

Anonymous said...

Hola, mi nombre es Ma. Guadalupe Servin Espinoza y soy hija de Jose Ma. de Servin. Me da mucho gusto saber que a pesar del tiempo de su partida, todavia esta vigente y gusta mucho. Si tienen interes en saber mas de el escribanme a tapatia2002@msn.com Tengo esculturas de el, pues en sus ultimos años se dedico tambien a la escultura y tengo preciosas. Espero sus comentarios y gracias otra vez por su espacio.

Anonymous said...

I have two paintings signed by Jose Setvin. They are a pair, each painted on burlap and mounted on wood. One is a little boy with the horns of a devil and a glass of wine in his hand. There is script writing that say "Emborrachate" (Get drunk.)
The second is of a little girl that looks like an angel saying "No te Emborraches" (Do not get drunk)

They were purchased by my parents in Mexico in the 1950s - perhaps 1953.

I love the paintings but have no room for them. Anyone have any suggestions as to where is the best place to sell them?

Gary M

Anonymous said...

I recently started collecting the works of Jose Maria de Servin. I find them very whimsical. I would love to see pictures of the ones you have for sale and maybe make an offer on them if you still have them? Thanks...
TJ

msedano said...

TJ: you can contact the owner, alfredo lascano, via la bloga. please send your email to labloga@readraza.com and i will forward that to sr. lascano.

Anonymous said...

hola que tal tengo una pintura de jose maria de servin y la quiero vender alguien interesado? es de una niña con un gato saludos mi correo es roboxeroner87@hotmail.com

Anonymous said...

I too have a Servin. I live in a border town and the one I have was purchased by a great aunt about the time he was a professor at ASU. Mine is a beautiful horse type creature jumping above a moon. My kids have titled it nightmare. Mine is painted on a light paper possibly tissue. It is framed and measures about 2 feet by 3 feet. Loved finally reading from other owners of his wonderful art and I am not ruling out eventually selling.

Unknown said...

I was a summer school student in Guadalajara in 1961. I bought a very stylized red rooster with a gold background, painted on board, signed or rather etched into the wood, Servin. I was told by the sales clerk in the art/gift shop that Servin had been a student of the muralist, Orozco. Other paintings of his were on display, of the cubist style, but I really liked the rooster - fighting cock i supose - a lot of curve and flow of feathers - a very dynamic feel to it. Bought it for around US$30.

art lover said...

Harcourts Gallery in San Francisco sold Jose Maria de Servin work entitled "La Ultima Cena" in 1976.
It is a large work in oil of the Last Supper. 22X62.
Cubist style, not whimsical.

Unknown said...

Here you can see one owned by my mother..https://plus.google.com/110967085835128586466/posts/cFjib2rycMX

Unknown said...

I Have inherited a very large Jose Maria De Servin Oil Painting Dated 1967 and I,m looking for someone who might be interested in this painting. I have looked all over the web and haven't seen one like it. Size in about 6ft x 5ft email me at Tomlmcdona@gmail.com if interested

Thanks Thomas

Pedro Herrera Serrano investigador said...

Tengo una pintura de Jose María Servin. Es una virgen de Guadalupe con cara de niña, pintada sobre fibra de ayate. Estoy buscando una pintura así pero no encuentro una parecida de la vigencia con cara de niña, está la recibí de una herencia... Tendrá algún costo? Mi nombre es Pedro Herrera Serrano, mi correo ipnherrera@gmail.com.