Bodies and Flowers

Antonio López

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When we think of Spanish realism, one name immediately springs to mind – Antonio López García, one of the most important contemporary artists in the history of Spanish art. ARTIKA presents Figures and Flowers, the painter’s first and only artist’s book, a limited, numbered edition of 2,998 copies, all signed by the artist.

An enthralling Art Book traces the artistic career of this genius of realism and enables the reader to enjoy his works down to the tiniest details, thanks to the life-size reproduction of many of his works. The volume also evokes his impressions, his passions and his sessions, through texts by Rafael Argullol and Antonio López himself, in addition to an interview with the painter by Julio Vaquero.

Figures and flowers also includes an item of great artistic value – a giclée print of the work Rosas de Ávila, in a limited, numbered edition. This plate, personally selected by Antonio López, can also be displayed as an independent work.

The Art Book and the giclée print are presented in a case, on which is reproduced a detail taken from one of these sketches made by the artist for his sculpture La mujer de Coslada. A spectacular work of art with infinite possibilities that are revealed when the glass image on the case is combined with the covers of the book.

Cuerpos y Flores - Antonio López | ARTIKA

The pages have been printed on high-quality, 200 g paper to capture all the details of the different materials that the artist uses in his creative process.

Printing specialists analyse, adjust and correct the colour tests. The pages are checked, one by one, and discarded if they do not reach the required standard.

Owing to the size of the volume, the sheets of the Art Book have been hand-sewn using high-quality cotton thread.

Printed on four-ink canvas fabric, the front cover features a fragment of the painting Espaldas (1964-1965) while on the back cover there is a view of Adrián y Miriam (2014-2015).

After it has been printed, and bearing in mind the intensity, tonality and colours of the original paintings, the cover is cut to book size for binding.

Once the body of the book has been put assembled with the fly leaves, the covers are affixed using special glue. This painstaking process is carried out completely manually.

The spine is hand-worked to achieve the rounded effect that can be seen on the book after binding, and which also features the artist’s name.

This limited, numbered edition, which also features the stamp that guarantees the printing quality of the giclée technique, includes the artist’s signature, and is presented in a protective diptych.

The specialist cabinetmakers cut each of the maple wood pieces separately, and then join them together to form the two sections that comprise the case.

After the case has been checked to make sure that the two sections fit together properly, a piece is fitted onto the back with a hinge, and which can be used to prop up the case.

To give it a distinguished, spectacular touch, the maple wood case is painted in grey, a tone personally chosen by Antonio López.

The transparent glass front cover, which features a detail from a sketch of the sculpture La mujer de Coslada, has been screenprinted in black ink and with a varnish that gives it a slight opaque effect.

Cuerpos y flores - Technical specifications - Estuche

Case

Case comprised of a maple wood base and cover, painted in grey lacquer
2+2 laminated glass, screenprinted in 2 inks
Varnish with a 3% tone
The two sections are joined by pins and a magnet fastener
The hinged piece on the back of the case functions as a prop for standing it up. There are also holes that can be used for hanging the case on the wall.
Size: 21.41 x 30.31 x 28.74 in
Weight: 18.73 lb

Cuerpos y flores - Technical specifications - Libro de Arte

Artist’s Book

Size: 18.50 x 25.98 in
Number of pages: 204
Interior in 0,44 lb Modigliani Insize Candido New paper, printed in 4 inks
Cardboard cover lined with Natuur & Halflinnen fabric, digitally printed in 4 inks, and with a rounded spine
Binding: sewn in 16-page segments using cotton thread
Numbered by hand and signed by the artist
Spanish-English bilingual edition

Cuerpos y flores - Technical specifications - Lámina giclée

Giclée plate

Digital printing on Velin Museum paper of 0.69 lb
Size: 17.00 x 24.01 in
High definition, 10-ink digital printing
Numbered and signed
Protected with sheets of 0.22 lb Niebla paper, size 27.55 x 39.37 in
Diptychs in 0.66 lb Dark Grey Savile Row Plain, printed in silver ink

(1936) Spanish realism has its own name and surname: Antonio López, one of the most important contemporary artists in the history of our art. His artistic production includes elements of different artistic trends, such as cubism or surrealism. However, from the 60's on, he left the dream behind to develop a more objective approach to art. His compositions are an autobiography that ranges from the pictorial to the sculptural.