Magda Santonastasio
Costa Rican, born 1937Autorretroto (Self-Portrait), 1984
Not on view
Etching on paper
Dimensions17 5/16 × 15 1/8 in. (44 × 38.4 cm)
Image: 11 5/8 × 9 13/16 in. (29.5 × 24.9 cm)
Gift of Mr. Jack B. Pierson, 1985.44
In Autorretroto (Self-Portrait), Santonastasio depicts herself seated backwards on a chair as she looks off into the distance. Her back slumps in an arc shape, as darkness invades the print, making it difficult to see her facial features clearly. Santonastasio’s style would often disorient the viewer, as this self-portrait gives the viewer no indication of her surroundings. Unlike many other Latin American artists who seek to accurately depict their indigenous culture, Santonastasio conveys mystical sensations juxtaposed together to symbolically illustrate a time and place to evoke a sense of disorientation and awe in the viewer.
Santonastasio was born in Cost Rica in 1937, and graduated from the University of Costa Rica with a B.F.A. and an M.F.A. Considered one of the leading artists of her country, she has taught at private primary and secondary schools in Costa Rica for twenty-two years. In addition, from 1974 to 1979, she was a Professor of Art at the University of Costa Rica and served as the Chair for the Watercolor Department.
