Big Eyed Artist

These two kids have been in my bedroom since I can remember. I love them. They are now in the guest room. My parents collected paintings (and other stuff) in their travels and think this is one they got in Mexico.
This looks to be similar to other 'big eyed artist' Margaret Keane, Myrle Medeiros, and Florence A. Kroger.

I was just wondering if anyone recognized or knows anymore about this artist.

Also what 'sari' translates - it comes up Hindu traditional dress??

 

Hi,
I remember some sort of scandal with the Keane's paintings either her husband painted them or he claimed to have and she protested or something like that.
greg

 

The barra de pan looks more Spain than México. J. M. Llorente likely "José María Llorente" but can't find anything with that name (or just "Llorente.") And not a clue as to Sari.

Debora

 

She did them.

 

I remember that, yes .. she painted them, Joy.

 

these overly happy paintings disturb me almost just as much as the crying gypsy children in the other topic...

 

Thanks Debora. I guess it could be from Spain as well. And yes I couldn't tell if it was JM, TM, FM, or IM Llorente.

 

Hmm, I always have found comfort in them. But when my Godson comes over to spend the night, he asks me to take them down cause they creep him out.

 

I don't really care for the "big eyed kids" .. my brother used to sketch and paint them years ago, creepy . Joy.

 

But very well done, and great pics, .. Joy.

 

You are spot on @Debora
I asked my mom and she said that she bought them in a flea market in Madrid, Spain in the early 70s.

 

Well, there you go.

Debora

 

Yes, I guess it is just some obscure artist of the time.

Did find something more on 'sari'. There is a phrase 'sari-sari' that means variety like 'Sari-Sari Store'. So? ...

Did Google search -- othen than Indian sari (wrap), also a derivative of "Sarah" -- meaning Princess. Never considered that this might be a girl???

Nothing useful on Spanish translation. Name heritage website -- 1 Turkish (Sari): descriptive nickname meaning ‘yellow’, ‘pale’, or ‘fair-haired’. This is also found as an element in Greek names, for example Sarigiannis‘fair-haired John’.

2. Corsican: habitational name from Sari d’Orcino in southern Corsica or Sari di Porto Vecchio in the canton of Porte-Vecchio.

3. Hungarian: from a pet form of the female personal name Sára, Hungarian form of Sarah.

 

I think the double "l" at the beginning of the name is Gaelic in origin and supports a Spanish (Catalan) attribution. Think Lladro.

 

It's subtly and cleverly Catalan. The boy's scarf is the Catalan flag, which given the time this was done is hilarious. They were very good at subversive and hidden nationalism. I suspect this was done as a political comment, but not sold as that. He's a newspaper seller: Sari rings a bell, I'll see if I can remember.

And yes, Jose or Josep Maria. It isn't M. it is Ma - short for Maria.

 

more, Catalan isn't Gaelic in origin, it's foot soldier Latin and close to French and Languedoc in language. You may be thinking Galician? But yes, LL is a typical beginning for a name: Lluis Llach comes to mind.

 

My thought too.

 

Hmm, very interesting twist to the painting.

 

Thanks for the tip Dave. But no, I'm not going to part with them. They're too sentimental and I love them.