Femme et masque

Christie’s is pleased to present two stunning works from Egyptian-born Antoine Malliarakis, a surrealist painter who had built a reputable art-making style upon moving to Paris in his late teens. There, he had met several surrealist painters including Man Ray, Desnos, Picabia and Foujita who had created a foundation for him to evolve and adapt artistically. Composition Surrealiste is a beautifully delicate piece from his time working at his studio in Paris following various group shows. His surrealist compositions sparked primarily from his time studying architecture in Paris, which paved a way for him to meet the aforementioned artists. The clean and balanced structure which Mayo has brought to life stands firmly against a blue sky backdrop, setting a light tone for the overall composition.

Mayo first exhibited his work at the Galerie Quatre Chemins with De Chirico, and the same gallery also hosted his first solo exhibition. In Femme et Masque, Mayo takes a more figurative approach towards his composition, depicting a woman who hides cautiously behind a floating mask. The red and pink brushwork that takes over the canvas merges the setting with the woman’s skin. Mayo’s skilful ability and the ease at which he constructs his subjects speaks clearly in the two presented works.

During the economic crisis of France, Mayo returned to Cairo to continue on his craft. He had contributed to Le Grand Jeu magazine and entered the French cinema industry upon his return, which saw a long-spanning costume and set design career of around 20 years. In the mid-sixties, he decided to leave cinema to focus on his paintings, of which he was making a good living from alone. The Centre Cultural Francais de Rome exhibited a retrospective of his works in 1983.