Gilbert Duran (San Antonio, Texas, 1947-2023), Santa Fe Loretto Chapel, 2007, oil on canvas sight: 48 in. x 35 in., frame 55.5 in. x 44 in. Artist's note: After a long day of viewing endless walls of paintings, we came upon a miraculously constructed staircase located inside the chapel of Loretto. I was so moved by the glow of the light that encircled my beloved, that I had to re-create the moment on canvas. Every brush stroke is an act of devotion and this painting is an offering. Provenance: Property from the Southtown San Antonio, Texas studio of noted artist Gilbert Duran Gilbert Duran (1947-2023) was a celebrated artist first known for his watercolor renditions of South Texas wildlife and Texas ranch scenes, and later for vivid oil paintings of South Texas and Latin themes, most famously depicting Frida Kahlo holding a margarita ('Frida Margarita'), an image which has been widely copied and displayed throughout Texas and beyond. Duran worked for many years out of his Southtown San Antonio, Texas live / work studio, Duran Arte, producing strikingly original canvases as well as sculpture and commissioned work. Many of Duran's key works were displayed in prominent San Antonio restaurants including Rosario's and Soluna, and have been shown at the Smithsonian Museo Alameda, and added to private collections including that of Guadalupe Rivera Marin, daughter of Kahlo’s husband Diego Rivera. Duran's impressive legacy as one of San Antonio's outstanding artists continues to grow as pieces begin to come to market at auction houses and galleries throughout the Southwest.