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Bridget Tichenor (1917-1990) The Dream of the Chrysalis
Details
Signed with the artist’s monogram (a stylized four-petaled flower/cross) in the lower right foreground.
Sizes:
Frame: 44.5 × 54 cm | 17.5 × 21.3 in
Artwork: 30 × 40.5 cm | 11.8 × 15.9 in
This enigmatic oil on canvas is a profound example of Bridget Bate Tichenor’s unique brand of Magic Realism. The composition depicts a recumbent figure wrapped in a red, ornate shroud, lying upon a green plinth in a desolate, mountainous landscape. Above the figure, three ethereal, comet-like heads with trailing white veils descend from a dark, brooding sky. Scattered in the foreground are broken eggshells and a large sea snail, classic surrealist symbols of birth, fragility, and the subconscious.
Tichenor’s technique is meticulous, often utilizing fine brushes to achieve a visionary, dreamlike clarity. Her work frequently explores themes of metamorphosis, ancient mythology, and the occult. This painting reflects her deep connection to the Mexican Surrealist circle, which included Leonora Carrington and Remedios Varo, yet maintains her distinctively somber and aristocratic aesthetic.
Provenance
Private collection, Mexico City;
Private collection, Brussels, Belgium;
Acquired from the above by the current owner.
Condition Report
Excellent vintage condition; stable paint surface with fine, deliberate textures; original canvas on a wooden stretcher; housed in a period-style carved dark wood frame.
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Bridget Tichenor
Bridget Bate Tichenor was a central figure in the mid-century Surrealist movement in Mexico. Born into the British aristocracy and educated in Europe, she was a celebrated fashion editor for Vogue in New York before moving to Mexico in 1953. There, she fully dedicated herself to her painting, creating a body of work characterized by its esoteric symbolism and technical precision.
Her legacy is celebrated for its contribution to international Surrealism, with her works increasingly sought after by major museums and private collectors globally.
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