The Lesson, Flavio Emanuel Cabral (1918–1990), c.1980s, serigraph, 22x30 in, signed & numbered 74/250, figurative modernism
A vibrant limited-edition serigraph by Flavio Emanuel Cabral titled The Lesson, depicting a poetic musical scene rendered in bold modernist geometry and Renaissance-inspired lyricism. Signed and numbered 74/250, this 22 x 30 inch print exemplifies Cabral’s refined compositional balance, elegant figuration, and museum-exhibited legacy. Published by Art Spectrum, a division of Mitch Morse Gallery, this work represents Cabral’s celebrated synthesis of classical mood and contemporary stylization.
Artwork Description
The Lesson presents an intimate interior tableau: a seated blue-toned musician plays a lute-like instrument while a standing female figure, poised and contemplative, observes from behind. A still life arrangement of pitcher, plate, and geometric forms occupies the foreground table, reinforcing Cabral’s mastery of compositional harmony.
Executed as a serigraph in an edition of 250, this example is numbered 74/250 and signed Flavio Cabral in pencil lower right. The medium’s layered screenprinting process allows for the rich saturation of ochres, reds, blues, and soft pastels, while subtle speckled texturing in the background evokes aged fresco surfaces.
Cabral’s stylistic language blends modernist simplification with Renaissance stillness. Figures are constructed from clean geometric volumes—triangular legs, circular heads, flattened planes—yet retain an emotional gravity. The elongated neck and downcast eyelids of the standing figure suggest quiet introspection. The musician’s crossed legs and rhythmic hand positioning reinforce the theme of instruction and harmony.
The floorboards and textured golden wall create spatial grounding while remaining decorative. The piece reflects Cabral’s lifelong engagement with poetic realism—beauty touched with melancholy. As cited in critical commentary, he favored moods of beauty touched with sadness, a quality palpably present here.
Originally represented exclusively by Gallery D’Enchante, Port Jefferson, NY, and published by Art Spectrum (a division of Mitch Morse Gallery Inc.), this work belongs to Cabral’s mature period when his figurative language had fully crystallized into refined elegance and timeless narrative.
Artist Biography
Flavio Emanuel Cabral (1918–1990) was born in New York City to Portuguese parents born on the island of Trinidad in the West Indies. He lived in New York State until 1936 before relocating to Los Angeles, California, where he remained for the rest of his life.
As a young artist, Cabral received formative training through his work and affiliation with the Federal Arts Project under President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s administration. This early exposure to publicly supported art initiatives grounded him in disciplined draftsmanship and classical compositional values.
He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art Education in 1955 and, the following year, a Master of Arts degree in Painting from the State University at Los Angeles. Cabral went on to serve as a professor of painting and art history for thirty years at Los Angeles Valley College, influencing generations of artists through his emphasis on structure, mood, and historical continuity.
His one-man museum exhibitions include the Laguna Beach Art Museum; Los Angeles County Art Museum; The De Young Museum, San Francisco; Palacio de Bellas Artes, Mexico City; Santa Barbara Museum; and Pasadena Museum. He also exhibited at Stendahl Gallery, Heritage Gallery (Los Angeles), Challis Gallery (Laguna Beach), Gallery D’Enchante (New York), Dalzell Hatfield Gallery (Los Angeles), Collectors Gallery (Chicago), and others.
Cabral’s work has been reproduced in major publications including American Painting & Sculpture (University of Illinois), The Realm of Contemporary Still Life Painting, Oil Painting Techniques and Materials, Drawing: A Search for Form, and Who’s Who in the West.
He received highly complimentary reviews in Art News, the Los Angeles Times, L.A. Examiner, Chicago Tribune, Herald Express, and Art Digest. Notably, David Alfaro Siqueiros recognized Cabral’s creative talent, remarking on the subtle perception of subjective poetic elements in his work. Critic Arthur Millier of the Los Angeles Times described him as an artist of great promise and considerable achievement who favors moods of beauty touched with sadness.
In 1963, Cabral completed a 60-foot mural for Robert Fulton Jr. High School, further cementing his role in California’s public art landscape.
Cabral’s position within mid-20th-century American figurative modernism remains significant among collectors of California modernism and poetic realism. His synthesis of Renaissance sensibility and flattened modernist geometry distinguishes him from purely abstract contemporaries. His works continue to circulate through regional galleries and specialized auction markets focused on mid-century figurative art.
While not aligned with dominant abstract expressionist movements of his era, Cabral maintained a consistent commitment to classical order and emotional restraint. Today, scholars increasingly reassess artists like Cabral who bridged academic rigor and modern stylization, particularly within the Southern California art scene. His legacy endures through institutional exhibition history, pedagogical impact, and sustained collector interest in his limited-edition serigraphs and oils.
Flavio Emanuel Cabral (1918–1990), The Lesson, serigraph, 22 x 30 in, signed lower right, numbered 74/250. Published by Art Spectrum (Mitch Morse Gallery). Figurative modernist interior scene.
Certificate of Authentication
This certifies that The Lesson is an original limited-edition serigraph by Flavio Emanuel Cabral (1918–1990).
Medium: Serigraph on paper
Edition: 74/250
Dimensions: 22 x 30 inches
Signature: Hand-signed in pencil lower right
Publisher: Art Spectrum, a division of Mitch Morse Gallery Inc.
The work was acquired through Mitch Morse Gallery and is guaranteed authentic.
Current Owner: Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC
Condition
Visible foxing throughout margins and scattered lightly into image field. Paper exhibits age-related toning and spotting consistent with period. Image remains vibrant; no major tears observed. Condition reflected in pricing.
Provenance
Mitch Morse Gallery (NYC; works acquired in New York, United States and Europe)
Art Spectrum, a division of Mitch Morse Gallery Inc. (Publisher)
Private Collection
Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC (Current Owner)
The Lesson, Flavio Emanuel Cabral (1918–1990), c.1980s, serigraph, 22x30 in, signed & numbered 74/250, figurative modernism
A vibrant limited-edition serigraph by Flavio Emanuel Cabral titled The Lesson, depicting a poetic musical scene rendered in bold modernist geometry and Renaissance-inspired lyricism. Signed and numbered 74/250, this 22 x 30 inch print exemplifies Cabral’s refined compositional balance, elegant figuration, and museum-exhibited legacy. Published by Art Spectrum, a division of Mitch Morse Gallery, this work represents Cabral’s celebrated synthesis of classical mood and contemporary stylization.
Artwork Description
The Lesson presents an intimate interior tableau: a seated blue-toned musician plays a lute-like instrument while a standing female figure, poised and contemplative, observes from behind. A still life arrangement of pitcher, plate, and geometric forms occupies the foreground table, reinforcing Cabral’s mastery of compositional harmony.
Executed as a serigraph in an edition of 250, this example is numbered 74/250 and signed Flavio Cabral in pencil lower right. The medium’s layered screenprinting process allows for the rich saturation of ochres, reds, blues, and soft pastels, while subtle speckled texturing in the background evokes aged fresco surfaces.
Cabral’s stylistic language blends modernist simplification with Renaissance stillness. Figures are constructed from clean geometric volumes—triangular legs, circular heads, flattened planes—yet retain an emotional gravity. The elongated neck and downcast eyelids of the standing figure suggest quiet introspection. The musician’s crossed legs and rhythmic hand positioning reinforce the theme of instruction and harmony.
The floorboards and textured golden wall create spatial grounding while remaining decorative. The piece reflects Cabral’s lifelong engagement with poetic realism—beauty touched with melancholy. As cited in critical commentary, he favored moods of beauty touched with sadness, a quality palpably present here.
Originally represented exclusively by Gallery D’Enchante, Port Jefferson, NY, and published by Art Spectrum (a division of Mitch Morse Gallery Inc.), this work belongs to Cabral’s mature period when his figurative language had fully crystallized into refined elegance and timeless narrative.
Artist Biography
Flavio Emanuel Cabral (1918–1990) was born in New York City to Portuguese parents born on the island of Trinidad in the West Indies. He lived in New York State until 1936 before relocating to Los Angeles, California, where he remained for the rest of his life.
As a young artist, Cabral received formative training through his work and affiliation with the Federal Arts Project under President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s administration. This early exposure to publicly supported art initiatives grounded him in disciplined draftsmanship and classical compositional values.
He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art Education in 1955 and, the following year, a Master of Arts degree in Painting from the State University at Los Angeles. Cabral went on to serve as a professor of painting and art history for thirty years at Los Angeles Valley College, influencing generations of artists through his emphasis on structure, mood, and historical continuity.
His one-man museum exhibitions include the Laguna Beach Art Museum; Los Angeles County Art Museum; The De Young Museum, San Francisco; Palacio de Bellas Artes, Mexico City; Santa Barbara Museum; and Pasadena Museum. He also exhibited at Stendahl Gallery, Heritage Gallery (Los Angeles), Challis Gallery (Laguna Beach), Gallery D’Enchante (New York), Dalzell Hatfield Gallery (Los Angeles), Collectors Gallery (Chicago), and others.
Cabral’s work has been reproduced in major publications including American Painting & Sculpture (University of Illinois), The Realm of Contemporary Still Life Painting, Oil Painting Techniques and Materials, Drawing: A Search for Form, and Who’s Who in the West.
He received highly complimentary reviews in Art News, the Los Angeles Times, L.A. Examiner, Chicago Tribune, Herald Express, and Art Digest. Notably, David Alfaro Siqueiros recognized Cabral’s creative talent, remarking on the subtle perception of subjective poetic elements in his work. Critic Arthur Millier of the Los Angeles Times described him as an artist of great promise and considerable achievement who favors moods of beauty touched with sadness.
In 1963, Cabral completed a 60-foot mural for Robert Fulton Jr. High School, further cementing his role in California’s public art landscape.
Cabral’s position within mid-20th-century American figurative modernism remains significant among collectors of California modernism and poetic realism. His synthesis of Renaissance sensibility and flattened modernist geometry distinguishes him from purely abstract contemporaries. His works continue to circulate through regional galleries and specialized auction markets focused on mid-century figurative art.
While not aligned with dominant abstract expressionist movements of his era, Cabral maintained a consistent commitment to classical order and emotional restraint. Today, scholars increasingly reassess artists like Cabral who bridged academic rigor and modern stylization, particularly within the Southern California art scene. His legacy endures through institutional exhibition history, pedagogical impact, and sustained collector interest in his limited-edition serigraphs and oils.
Flavio Emanuel Cabral (1918–1990), The Lesson, serigraph, 22 x 30 in, signed lower right, numbered 74/250. Published by Art Spectrum (Mitch Morse Gallery). Figurative modernist interior scene.
Certificate of Authentication
This certifies that The Lesson is an original limited-edition serigraph by Flavio Emanuel Cabral (1918–1990).
Medium: Serigraph on paper
Edition: 74/250
Dimensions: 22 x 30 inches
Signature: Hand-signed in pencil lower right
Publisher: Art Spectrum, a division of Mitch Morse Gallery Inc.
The work was acquired through Mitch Morse Gallery and is guaranteed authentic.
Current Owner: Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC
Condition
Visible foxing throughout margins and scattered lightly into image field. Paper exhibits age-related toning and spotting consistent with period. Image remains vibrant; no major tears observed. Condition reflected in pricing.
Provenance
Mitch Morse Gallery (NYC; works acquired in New York, United States and Europe)
Art Spectrum, a division of Mitch Morse Gallery Inc. (Publisher)
Private Collection
Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC (Current Owner)
