Poignant and grand, Caballero is an exceptional work from Manolo Valdes’ prolific and celebrated artistic output. Joyfully executed with an emphasis on craftsmanship, this large and dynamic sculpture portrays a dashing knight on a rearing horse. Created in tessellated bronze, this work carries the gravitas of art history and weaves together a vast array of sources.
Image: © Bridgeman Images
Created in 2010, Caballero takes inspiration from the great masters of art history – from Rubens, to Velazquez, to Delacroix, to Van Dyck. The drama of the central protagonist – calm and staid whilst his horse rears up – is unmistakably reminiscent of Jacques-Louis David’s portrait of Napoleon Crossing the Alps, one of the great icons of the Enlightenment. Employing his own immensely personal and visual language to skilfully pay tribute to these Old Masters, Valdés uses their work as a pretext to create an entirely new aesthetic. In the present work, by augmenting the figure’s scale and minimising facial details, the artist creates an abstract expression which places the subject into a modern setting. Valdés has explained the connection to his prominent art paragons,
“When I touch on historical painters, I make comments based on the specificity of my language and not on that of literature or poetry. I am just a narrator who comments on the history of painting in various ways, using new materials: it is like a game that consists of changing the code and the key to the artwork… Many of my colours, materials and textures are the product of relived experiences of other masters. My painting involves much refection”
The vibrancy emanating from Caballero is characteristic of Valdés’ highly personal creative oeuvre. His portraiture actively addresses issues ranging from representation and appropriation to heritage, style, and tradition. In the present work, the artist’s original and technical skill are immediately apparent; the diverse media, large-scale composition and direct concern with art history.