Professor and students

The Victor Manuel was acquired in Cuba from a private collection. The piece is illustrated in a full page in Ramon Vazquez' book on the artist, on pages 38-39; it shows the influence of Victor's teacher, Leopoldo Romanach, and how the pupil was already as good as the teacher. At the time of the execution of this painting, the artist still went by his original name, Manuel Garcia, or the nickname Manolo Garcia.

The second painting is signed, but the signature is illegible; we attributed it to Jose Antonio Bencomo Mena together with Cuban art authority Jose Veigas; Bencomo Mena left for Italy in 1917, having finished his studies at the San Alejandro Art School under Romanach at the same time as Victor Manuel, whose painting is dated 1916. It is clear that these are two views of the same model, painted by the two artists at the same time. This piece was acquired while on a temporary exhibit at a private restaurant in the Vedado section of Havana (paladar Starbien).

 

- Robert Borlenghi