Francisco Rodón
Francisco Rodón, named Puerto Rico's most important 20th century painter at the Expo 92 World's Fair in Seville, Spain, joining the 18th century's José Campeche and the 19th century's Francisco Oller, was born on June 6, 1934 in San Sebastián, Puerto Rico. He studied in Mexico, France and Spain.
Known for his portraits of important local, regional and world figures, such as Argentinian writer Jorge Luis Borges, Puerto Rican patriarch Luis Muñoz Marín, Cuban dancer Alicia Alonso and Perú's Mario Vargas Llosa, Marta Traba he is also known for his landscapes and still lifes.
The value of his works consistently exceed that of other living Puerto Ricans in auctions held between 1990 and 2009. For example, his Retrato de Medea sold for $93,000 at an auction in 1990. In November 2009, his most recent oil on canvas, Puedo Retornar al Crepúsculo y la Noche sold for U.S.$302,500 at Sotheby's New York, the highest price paid to that date for a Puerto Rican painting.
Major works
Naturaleza Muerta con Aguacate
- last sold on May 30, 2007, 118x87cm oil on canvas painted in 1962
Portrait of Jimmy
- last sold on November 17, 2005, 91x72cm oil on panel painted in 1961
Borges o El Aleph
- last sold on June 10, 2004, 306x142cm huile/toile painted c.1975
Inés en mis Sueños
- last sold on May 28, 2002, 221-165 oil on canvas painted between 1996 and 2002
Juan Rulfo o Pedro Páramo
- last sold on November 23, 1999, 287x211cm oil on canvas painted between 1981 and 1983
Vendedor de Solandras
- last sold on November 22, 1999, 155x203cm oil on canvas painted between 1991 and 1993
Retrato de Medea
- last sold for $93,000 on May 1, 1990, 183x127cm oil on canvas painted between 1969 and 1971
- The painting is part of the Luis Muñoz Marín Foundation's permanent collection.
Alicia Alonso
Mario Vargas Llosa
Sources
http://www.franciscorodon.com/
http://www.artandculture.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/ACLive.woa/wa/artist?id=363
http://www.allbiographies.com/biography-FranciscoRodon-55732.html
http://web.artprice.com/ps/artitems.aspx?view=all&idarti=NzExODMyMzg0MDU4NTct&refGenre=A&page=1
http://www.sothebys.com/app/live/lot/LotDetail.jsp?lot_id=159561089