Painting of Young Boy by Agapito Labios

Agapito Labios

First half 20th century | Oil on canvas | Item 794

The painting exemplifies Labios’s characteristic folk art style, often featuring children in formal dress. Here we have a young boy in fancy dress – shirt, jacket, tie and fancy pants. He’s holding a basket of fruit. He stands in front of a heavy, wood table covered with fruit and a bottle, pitcher and large plate. He stands on a tile or brick floor. There is no signature.

Agapito Labios (Mexican, 1898-1996) Untitled, late 20th century Oil painting on canvas Self-taught artist Agapito Labios began painting seriously in prison while serving his sentence for participating in the Mexican Revolution. He is known for his quaint folk portraits of children, many of which he sold in the Lagunilla market of Mexico City and later in his antiques store called Mercado de Artesanias at La Ciudadela. Katherine Hepburn was among some of the famed individuals who collected his work.