Diego felt his creativity was confined in portraits. #DiegoVoci deeply resisted the restriction. What about caricatures? Diego said,“They are fun. I can be creative.”
In 1976 Frank Freeman somehow convinced Diego to do portraits of his two sons John and Mitch. Frank and his wife had met – and seen Diego several times while living in #Wiesbaden, Germany. They had even bought a “Landscape” from Diego in Schwetzingen (#Heidelberg area in 1974). See the Freeman’s and other #landscapes on our Pinterest “Landscape” board: https://www.pinterest.com/diegovoci/landscape-gallery/
One day Frank visited “Galerie #Dahms” in Wiesbaden’s fancy Wilhelmsstrasse shopping district and saw a portrait of a young girl. Frank named her “Principessa” as it was unknown who she really was. Diego had used “pastel and felt-tip on posterboard” to capture the young girl. “It was a commission, that was refused by the ‘buyer’ stating ‘It doesn’t look like my daughter’!”
Having not forgotten the exquisite portrait, for Frank it was “the inspiration for asking Diego to do my boys – over his protestations!” Just months before Frank and his family were due to return to the United States he commissioned Diego do portraits of his sons, John and Mitch, then 9 and 5 ½.
John, age 9 and Mitch, age 5 1/2 (1976) by #Diego
“On a Sunday afternoon in mid-July 1976, I took the boys to his Wiesbaden home (Taunusstein), where Diego spent about 15-20 minutes capturing each boy’s likeness.” Frank recalls, “when I got home, I began to see the “Principessa’s” father’s viewpoint . . . the portraits weren’t really as the boys looked.” But “3 years later, comparing the boys to their portraits, they were EXACT likenesses!!! Diego had envisioned the boys as they would look a few years later. THEY matched what he had drawn!! Prescient!!”
A few days before leaving Germany Frank recalls to his surprise, “I got a call from Siegfried DAHMS, owner of the gallery, who informed me that DIEGO had instructed that I be given the portrait of “Principessa” in appreciation for our patronage.” Frank owns it.
“Principessa” Unknown Subject, “Who am I?” Diego drew me in 1974.
To this day, it is a mystery as to who the young girl may be. Frank hopes that someone out there may see this post! Do you know who she is?
Another rare portrait done in charcoal and pastels by #Diego of Mike Kennedy’s mother in the early 60’s can be seen: https://diegovociproject.wordpress.com/2015/01/19/mothers-portrait-by-diego-and-new-generation/
Do you own a portrait by Antonio #DiegoVoci? Tell us: diegovociproject@gmail.com
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