George Condo - Untitled (Man), 1989

George Condo - Untitled (Man), 1989

Etching on wove paper
Signed and numbered in pencil 42/55 in the lower margin: Condo;
Printed by: Aldo Crommelynck Paris, France, with his blindstamp;
Published by Pace Editions, New York, New York
Plate: 9.375" H x 7" W;
Sheet: 18.25" H x 15" W
Framed:
25.5 inches (vertical) by 22 inches (horizontal) by 1.5 inches
This work has been framed in a wood frame under plexiglass. Held in original vintage frame with labels.
The figure depicted in this etching is a fictional, imaginary character; it is a product of what George Condo calls "Artificial Realism"—the realistic representation of that which is artificial.  Rather than sitting a real subject down for a traditional portrait, Condo populates his works with a recurring cast of invented archetypes, grotesque figures, and psychological states. He heavily utilizes "Psychological Cubism," fracturing the figure's face to display a combination of multiple simultaneous emotions, perspectives, and art-historical styles all at once. In this specific print, you can clearly see him synthesizing classical Old Master portrait tropes—such as the historical profile view, elaborate headpiece, and ornamental clothing—with modernist abstraction The man is shown in profile view wearing a wide-brimmed, historical-looking hat and elaborate, ornamental attire. This heavily references European Old Master paintings, particularly the dramatic styles of Rembrandt and Velázquez. The face itself is shattered into complex geometric patterns and overlapping contours. This mimics the Cubism popularized by Pablo Picasso, combining profile and frontal perspectives simultaneously (such as the wide eye looking straight at the viewer)
This particular piece was printed in Paris by the renowned master printer Aldo Crommelynck who famously collaborated with Picasso himself later in his career.