A Blue Fawn with a Rabbit and Birds [SOLD]

Maria and Julian Martinez had four sons:  Adam, born in 1903; John in 1915; Popovi Da in 1922; and Phillip in 1925.  There is very little information published on John and Phillip except a few statements made by Maria, published in Spivey's book The Legacy of Maria Poveka Martinez.

Maria stated "John liked to study.  John liked to look at books and study and read and go to school.  He was the one that went to Stanford to school.  And he was a *football player.  And I said to him, 'That play I don't like.  I see so many get hurt.  Here they come bleeding.'  And he said, 'No, Mother.  I take care of myself.'  That was John."  Spivey

John Martinez attended Santa Fe High School in the early 1940s, then Georgia Military Academy in 1942 and Stanford University from 1946-1948.  He was in the Army during World War II as was his brother Phillip.   There seems to be no other information on John, as to what he did after the war or when he passed away.  He is listed as being a road engineer and an engineering draftsman with no indication as to where or for whom he worked.

It is not apparent that he was a prolific painter.  We have only had a few paintings by John in the gallery and they have been dated 1948, 1953 and 1954.  That span may be the extent of his painting career. This painting is dated 1954.

This wonderful fawn is beautifully rendered indicating that he was a fine painter.  All the paintings we have had by him were of animals, so perhaps that was his specialty.  Below the blue fawn is a very small rabbit and above is a pair of birds.  All are enclosed in a multi-colored rainbow, but predominately blue.  The painting is signed John and dated ’54 in lower center.

Condition: appears to be in original condition

Provenance: from the collection of an individual from Albuquerque

Reference:  The Legacy of Maria Poveka Martinez by Richard L. Spivey (1937 - 2011)