MARIA DE LA O
1962-64 Crespières, France.
Interlocking. 7 elements.
Markings:
Signed and numbered
1 original in forged and welded iron.
10 examples in patinated bronze/ sand casting
(1/200 to 10/200)
190 examples in polished bronze/ steel shells
(11/200 to 200/200)
Berrocal begun his production of multiples in 1962-64 with the sculpture Opus 92 María de la O, of which 200 copies were made and presented for sale in 1964.
In 1965 this work was awarded the Sculpture Prize at the Biennale de Paris, and the Museum of Modern Art in New York acquired a copy for its collection. Opus 92 María de la O marked the beginning of a facet of Berrocal’s work that finally became one of the characteristics popularly most identified with his name.The huge success of this sculpture, consisting of six pieces concealing a central cavity into which a phallic shape fits, binding them together and giving them cohesion, soon led to the appearance of other multiple sculptures like Opus 101 ROMEO E GIULIETTA and Opus 107 MINI DAVID.