The Roar of The Crowd

You can almost feel the energy in the ring with this dramatic and handsome oil on board work depicting a bullfight. It was painted by artist Jorge Castillo and is another extraordinary find from the Pantages Portfolio.

Jorge Castillo was born in Spain in 1933 but moved with his family to Argentina as a baby. He started his formal artistic training in 1941 when he attended the “Ecole des Beaux-Arts” in Buenos Aires for a short time. In 1955, he moved to Madrid where he focused on surrealistic gouaches and drawings; his first exhibit was held a few years later in 1959. Castillo traveled extensively thorough the 1970's, living and working in Paris, Geneva, and Berlin. He moved to New York in the early 1980's where he concentrated on designing sculptures for public spaces. Casillo was lifetime admirer of Pablo Picasso and themes common to Picasso appear in Castillo's artworks over time. His paintings and sculptures has been shown throughout Europe and the Americas, and he has won numerous prestigious awards - including the International Drawing Prize in Darmstadt, Germany in 1964.

A Night On The Town

Bar none, you have to love this oil on board painting by European artist Pere Ysern Y Alie. Another highlight from the Pantages Portfolio, this example features three finely dressed ladies sitting on high chairs at a bar, and another woman, probably the barmaid, standing behind the bar. Beautiful pink flowers in a blue vase add another focal point to this colorful work.

Pere Ysern Y Alie (c.1875-1946) lived and worked in Spain and France throughout his professional career. His style included both impressionist and realist paintings, with his preferred themes including dancers, nightlife, and landscapes, especially those of the island of Mallorca.