Description

In this poignant composition, González reimagines the traditional iconography of the Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre (Our Lady of Charity), the patron saint of Cuba. Rather than the three traditional sailors (the "Three Johns") found in colonial religious art, the artist presents "The New Johns"—three modern refugees clinging to a makeshift raft amidst turbulent, blood-stained waters.

The Virgin stands majestically in the center, draped in a luminous white triangular mantle, holding the Christ Child. Surrounding her is a haunting aura of blue, ethereal faces that appear to be crying out or mourning, symbolizing the many lives lost at sea. The stark contrast between the divine serenity of the Virgin and the visceral, bleeding wounds of the men in the foreground creates a deeply emotional narrative on the struggle for survival and the hope for spiritual protection.

Item Details

• Artist: Félix González

• Title: Los Nuevos Juanes

• Date: 1994

• Medium: Oil on Canvas

• Dimensions: 47 x 44 inches (including frame)

• Signature: Signed and titled lower right: Félix González '94 - Los nuevos Juanes.

• Condition: Excellent vintage condition; housed in a substantial tiered gold-gilt frame.

Keywords

Félix González Cuban art Latin American contemporary painting Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre religious iconography balsero crisis migration art maritime scene oil on canvas large scale painting Caribbean artist 1990s art spiritual surrealism political art Cuban diaspora symbolic realism collectible art fine art auction.