Aug 03, 2023 - Sale 2643

Sale 2643 - Lot 272

Unsold
Estimate: $ 700 - $ 1,000

AMADO GONZALEZ (1913-2007)

SOUTHERN PACIFIC'S HOTEL / PLAYA DE CORTES. Gouache maquette. Circa 1935.


26x19 1/2 inches, 66x49 1/2 cm.
Condition A-: minor creases and abrasions at edges; pin holes in corners and at edges. Gouache on artist's board.

The Southern Pacific opened its Spanish Colonial-style Playa de Cortes hotel in the 1930s, on the Bahia Bacochibampo in Guaymas. A period brochure stated, "Playa de Cortes is unique not only in that it is America's newest foreign playground, but also in that it is located in one of America's closest foreign playgrounds. In fact, it is not much farther away than many of the resorts in the United States . . . yet you are in a foreign country. It is easy to get there because of convenient rail service. It is reached from Tucson on the route of the Southern Pacific's famous Sunset Limited (New Orleans - Los Angeles- San Francisco) and the crack Golden State Limited (Chicago-Los Angeles). From Tucson it is only part of a day and a night to Playa de Cortes by air-conditioned Pullman on Southern Pacific's West Coast of Mexico Route."

Born in Guadalajara, Gonzalez moved to San Francisco in 1927. He studied at the California School of Fine Art and became a painter, illustrator, commercial graphic designer, muralist and ultimately an art professor at San Francisco City College. He worked for The American President Line, Southern Pacific, the California Wine Advisory Board and other corporate clients.

Additional Details

From the collection of Victor Ryerson.