1982 Iberê Camargo "Zoila" Oil Portrait Painting
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GUEST:
This painting is by Iberê Camargo. He was a great friend of mine. Many, many, many years I was friends with the family. And when he painted this, I was having a cup of coffee with his wife. He was painting a huge thing, and I didn't realize he was doing something on the side, which was me. And so when it was ready, he brought it over and he said, "I painted you, here it is." I had no words, of course. I said, "Well, leave it here in his studio to dry it up." And his wife said, "No, no, no, "you take it right now, because tomorrow, "it's going to be totally different. He'll change it overnight." And it was fun. He was a great person. Incredible person. So that's how "Zoila" appeared.
APPRAISER:
So you mentioned the name of the painting.
GUEST:
Yes.
APPRAISER:
I'm going to flip this over so we can take a look at the back here.
GUEST:
Okay.
APPRAISER:
And maybe I could get you to provide for us some instant translation here.
GUEST:
(laughs): It says, "Iberê Camargo, Porto Alegre." It's a city down south of Brazil. "7 August 1982. To Zoila, with love," his signature, and the date.
APPRAISER:
The painting is oil on canvas. And unlike some of things here on the ROADSHOW, it's very clear who it's of, when it was done, who did it. He's a fascinating artist, as you know. Arguably the most important Brazilian Expressionist painter.
GUEST:
Right.
APPRAISER:
Someone who has a national and international following. Like many artists of the period, in 1948, he did travel to Europe to study the Great Masters. And I think some of that influence is visible here in the portrait. De Chirico, specifically, was a large influence, as was the Italian painter Carlo Petrucci and Andrè Lhote. This painting is not typical of works done in this period.
GUEST:
Right.
APPRAISER:
So clearly something that you inspired that day. At auction, we think, conservatively, the value is in the realm of $12,000 to $18,000.
GUEST:
That's more than I expected. That's very nice.
APPRAISER:
When you look at the other works that he's doing at the same time, like the large works, we're seeing prices for pictures like that north of $300,000.
GUEST:
Wow-- I'm so happy for him. I mean, he's gone, but he still lives in our hearts.
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