Jonas Rimša, Tahitian

Jonas Rimša (1903-1978)
Tahitian
7th decade of the 20th century, drb., al., 65 × 45,5
Signed. AK: J Rimša

Jonas Rimša (1903-1978) Lithuanian-born painter. He moved to South America and lived for a long time in Argentina, Bolivia and later in the USA.
Jonas Rimša's portraiture retains his characteristic expressive, colour-intensive style, in which the image of a person is never isolated, but is constantly linked to a cultural, geographical or emotional context. Rimša, who lived in South America, conveys in his portraits not only the individual character, but also the identity of the sitter against the backdrop of the wider environment, which is particularly evident in the motifs of Indian culture. These works show a respect for and interest in a foreign culture, and an authentic view of the individual as part of a community. The portraits are characterised by a dynamic pictorial texture, bold colouring and vivid psychological suggestiveness, and are therefore considered a significant part of Rimša's oeuvre, extending his world of exotic, culturally rich imagery.