www.whitehouseinvestmentart.com This is a privately held Art Collection. The Cycle of Life, seven limited edition original signature lithograph renditions by Manuel Gregorio Acosta were printed in 1974, which adds to their value by making them approximately thirty-three years old and thus antique collectibles. Born near Chihuahua Mexico in 1921, Acosta rose above poverty to become an internationally renowned painter, he studied under the great Urbici Soler, the creator of one of the most famous Mexican monuments atop Mount Cristo Rey in Mexico. His style was realistic, working with calipers to get proportions perfect. Five major themes characterized his work: bullfighters; flowers and fantasies; young children; people and the Mexican Revolution. His work is represented in a number of public and private collections throughout the United States, including the National Portrait Gallery, Washington; the El Paso Museum of Art; the Museum of Texas Tech University, Lubbock; the Museum of New Mexico, Santa Fe; Harmsen's Western Collection, Colorado; and the Time Incorporated Collection, New York City. Acosta had the demeanor of a teddy bear, with a comfortable girth, friendly brown eyes, impressive bushy eyebrows and thinning hair, always covered with his trademark paper painter's hat. Like Van Gogh and Michelangelo, at the time of his death Acosta had just been through a darkness of the soul and was making transitions in his art that made him somewhat of a recluse. Acosta's passion for the multicultural U.S. Mexico Border precipitated his living in the United States, where his love for partying was only exceeded by his love for painting. His studio's wooden parquet floors were well worn by the impromptu parties and dances he had which lasted well into the next day. There was a gazebo on the front lawn of Acosta's studio for the nights in which he would gaze at the stars for inspiration. President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush have selected a painting by Manuel Acosta for permanent display in the White House. President Bush and First Lady Laura Bush are long-time admirers and collectors of Acosta Artwork. A portrait of labor leader Cesar Chavez, created by Manuel Gregorio Acosta in 1969 for a Time Magazine cover is part of the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery Collections (Gallery 217). For all his love of life Acosta was an enigma. On October 25, 1989, the dancing stopped and Acosta bled to death laying face up in a pool of blood on the parquet floors he so dearly loved with a screwdriver through his heart. According to newspaper accounts, his attacker who knew Acosta stated that he struck Acosta with a hammer about four times, once while Acosta was standing and three more times after Acosta fell to the parquet floor, he also stabbed the artist in the heart several times with a screwdriver until Acosta stopped breathing. Acosta was buried in the United States in a flag draped casket at Fort Bliss National Cemetery with full military honors to include a 21 gun salute. Like other great artists before him, Acosta took many dark secrets with him to the grave. A legal issue is unresolved over millions of dollars of sculptures and other artworks; Acosta left no will and the bulk of his work is still unavailable to the public stored in a vault at the Chase Bank. According to a professional art appraiser, the value of his work is expected to increase since rarity has much to do with the value of art . The very fact that Acosta is no longer painting may drive up the prices for his work. Consequently, top-quality art tends to be more stable than most financial investments in difficult times. Further, the long-term trend for art prices is definitely upwards. Wolfgang Wilke says, "Art is a scarce product and not reproducible at will. Rising incomes over the long-term ensure a steady rise in demand for works of art against falling supply." For investment-quality art the limited supply adds to the increasing demand, this would mean a definite price appreciation over the long run. Music: Amor ti vieta published by Bertalan Percsi www.whitehouseinvestmentart.com