GIANTS OF JAZZ PARADE, DOUBLE-SIDED

Born in Key West, Florida, Mario Sanchez was the son of a cigar maker and lived in the community dedicated to the trade known as Gatoville. Beginning in the 1930s, Sanchez began capturing his familiar surroundings in bas-relief carvings. His vibrant work is imbued with a sense of humor and nostalgia. A departure from his Key West imagery, the present scene of St Peters Street evokes the vitality of New Orleans. Sanchez crisply captures the iconic architecture of the French Quarter and the bright colors of the city. One can almost hear the jazz bouncing off the buildings and carrying through the streets. The multicolored tiles add another layer of festivity, as if the music is giving life to each square. This work is particularly interesting as it retains an incomplete scene on the reverse, providing an engaging view into his thought process and approach to the composition.