A stunning portrait by renowned Chilean/Texas artist Liliana Wilson. Wilson fled Chile in the 1970s during the Pinochet regime. She took up residence in Austin and, though a lawyer by training, began a long career as an artist. Her striking works include depictions of the desaparecidos of Chile and others who project their dignity under conditions of oppression and even death.

“Girl and Snake,” a painting of deceptive simplicity, shows a gracefully dressed girl with a delicate yet firm hold on a snake. Presumably the girl represents Eve and the snake the Devil. Wilson’s 2004 serigraph, Eva, also depicting a female holding a snake, certainly suggests as much. In any case, the portrait conveys an unmistakeable air of mastery in the girl’s look, in her hands and hold. The red hues and floral dress give a sense of sober beauty and self-possession. This is a masterful work from one of the leading contemporary Latina artists.

An appreciative retrospective of Wilson’s work can be found in Ofrenda: Liliana Wilson’s Art of Dissonance and Dreams (Texas A & M University Press, 2004).

Acrylic on wood.

Image 13 1/2” x 11 3/4”.

Frame 25 1/4” x 19 1/4”.

Signed “Liliana 2000” with full name of “Liliana Wilson-Grez” on gallery label on back.