Bidspirit auction | Bridget Bate Tichenor (1917-1990)

Bridget Bate Tichenor (1917-1990) - The Dream of the Chrysalis. Bridget Bate Tichenor (1917-1990) | France The Dream of the Chrysalis Oil on Canvas Signed: Signed with the artist’s monogram (a stylized four-petaled flower/cross) in the lower right foreground. Dimensions: Framed: 44.5 × 54 cm | 17.5 × 21.3 in Artwork: 30 × 40.5 cm | 11.8 × 15.9 in Provenance: Private collection, Mexico City; Private collection, Brussels, Belgium; Acquired from the above by the current owner. Condition: 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. Conditions of Sale: All lots are sold as is. See Section 4 of our Terms and Conditions for return policy. All inquiries must be made prior to bidding, as no further details can be provided after the sale. By placing a bid, you confirm that you have read and agree to our Terms and Conditions in full. Shipping: Aurora & Athena does not provide in-house shipping. The successful buyer arranges shipping directly with a company of their choice. For shipments outside the EU, Spanish export tax may apply to certain higher-value artworks; no export tax applies within the EU. Any such tax is payable by the buyer. Please refer to our Shipping & Export Information page for further details. -- 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.