Lady in Hat – Victoria Montesinos

Artist: Victoria Montesinos (Mexican, b. 1944)
Date: c. 1984
Medium: Lithograph or Serigraph on Paper
Dimensions: Approximately 33 x 24 inches

This elegant portrait is a quintessential example of Victoria Montesinos’ celebrated “Women in Hats” series, which gained significant popularity during the 1980s. The composition features a stylized, sophisticated woman adorned with an oversized blush pink hat, her form draped in a rich, emerald green wrap that flows with a sense of graceful movement. Montesinos is renowned for her ability to blend contemporary fashion aesthetics with a timeless, ethereal quality, often using soft, atmospheric lighting and delicate textures to create a sense of mystery around her subjects.

Born in Mexico and trained under the Spanish master José Bardasano, Montesinos moved to New York in the early 1980s where she collaborated with Circle Fine Art to produce high-quality lithographs. Her work from this period often explores themes of femininity and serenity, characterized by the “deco-inspired” elegance seen here. This specific piece captures a serene, contemplative moment, utilizing the bold contrast between the warm pinks and cool greens to emphasize the subject’s poise. Her works are highly collected for their romanticism and refined craftsmanship, representing a bridge between traditional European portraiture and modern Latin American art.