MANUEL LEPE FOLK / NAIVE ART - PUERTA VALLARTA MEXICO LARGE 31"x31" MUSEUM CALIBER 1979 OIL ON CANVAS 1 OWNER Start Price USD 4,950.00 Current Price USD 4,950.00 Time Left - Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price USD 5,500.00 Reserve Price - Start Time Saturday, September 06, 2008 End Time Tuesday, September 16, 2008 Location Albuquerque, NM See more about 'MANUEL LEPE FOLK / NAIVE ART - PUERTA VALLARTA MEXICO ' Description I AM SELLING TWO MANUEL LEPE ORIGINAL OIL ON CANVAS PAINTINGS PURCHASED IN MEXICO ALMOST 30 YEARS AGO.  THIS FIRST UNTITLED 31 1/2" x 31 1/2" PIECE IS SIGNED "LEPE .79."  IT IS A SCENE DEPICTING ABOUT 50 YOUNG PEOPLE SOCIALIZING AND DANCING TO THE MUSIC OF A LOCAL FIVE PIECE BAND.  THE WORD "TUXTIA" APPEARS ON A BAND MEMBER'S DRUM.  THE CUTAWAY BUILDING VIEW REVEALS A LEPE MURAL SIZE PAINTING ON ONE WALL.  THE COLORS IN THIS PIECE ARE BRIGHT AND BOLD AND THE SUBJECT AND COMPOSITION ARE VINTAGE LEPE.  THE PAINTING IS CONTAINED IN A 38 1/2" x 38 1/2" WOOD WITH LINER FRAME.  THE CONDITION OF BOTH PAINTING AND FRAME IS EXCELLENT.  IT HAS SPENT MOST OF ITS LIFE IN STORAGE.  MANUEL LEPE MACEDO (1936-1984) WAS BORN IN PUERTA VALLERTA.  HE ROSE TO BE NAMED MEXICO'S NATIONAL ARTIST IN 1979 BY THEN PRESIDENT LUIS ECHEVARRIA ALVAREZ (COINCIDING WITH THE DATE OF THIS PAINTING).  HE WAS SELF TAUGHT AND HE ADOPTED A NAIVE OR NAIF STYLE OF PAINTING.  LEPE'S SUBJECTS WERE PRIMARILY THE LANDSCAPE, TOWNSCAPE AND EVERY DAY ACTIVITIES SEEN IN HIS NATIVE PUERTA VALLERTA.  HIS PAINTINGS CAME TO SYMBOLIZE THIS QUAINT TOWN IN ITS HEYDAY AS A RESORT DESTINATION.  HE BECAME INTERNATIONALLY KNOWN AS THE RESULT OF EXHIBITIONS OF HIS WORK SHOWN IN SEVERAL UNITED STATES MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES.  HE DIED TRAGICALLY IN GUADALAJARA IN 1984.  HIS WORKSHOP IN PUERTA VALLERTA IS PRESERVED AS A GALLERY AND MUSEUM.  APRIL 17 IS CELEBRATED IN HIS HOMETOWN AS MANUEL LEPE DAY.  LEPE'S PAINTINGS HANG IN THE COLLECTIONS OF ELIZABETH TAYLOR, JOHN TRAVOLTA, JOHN HUSTON, PETER O'TOOLE, RICHARD NIXON, RONALD REAGAN AND THE QUEEN OF ENGLAND.  HE IS REFERENCED IN NUMEROUS BOOKS AND IS THE SUBJECT OF DOZENS OF PAGES ON THE INTERNET.  MUCH SMALLER LEPE WORKS ARE PRICED ONLINE AND HAVE BEEN OFFERED AND SOLD FOR BETWEEN $4,000 AND $9,000.  I AM SELLING THIS OUTSTANDING PIECE ON BEHALF OF THE ESTATE OF THE ORIGINAL PURCHASER. CHECK OUT THE OTHER LEPE OIL FOR SALE AND ALL MY QUALITY ARTWORK OFFERED THIS WEEK ON EBAY. BUYER TO PAY ACTUAL FREIGHT ONLY AND INSURANCE IF DESIRED.  I WILL BE INPUTTING FREIGHT CHARGES TO INCLUDE THE FRAMED PIECE.  IF THIS ITEM IS PURCHASED BY AN OVERSEAS OR MEXICAN BUYER, IT CAN BE SHIPPED WITHOUT THE FRAME IN ITS LINER AND KEPT WITHIN THE OVERSIZE 1 (108") POSTAL SERVICE SIZE.  IN ANY CASE I WILL PROVIDE THE SUCCESSFUL BIDDER WITH SHIPPING OPTIONS AND COSTS TO INCLUDE FED-EX STATESIDE WHICH ARE NORMALLY MUCH LESS THAN THOSE INCLUDED ON THIS LISTING.  PLEASE CONTACT ME PRIOR TO PAYMENT.  THE FRAMED SHIPPING WEIGHT SHALL NOT EXCEED 25 POUNDS. Place a Bid!