Freddy Rodríguez’s “A-Rod Six of Thirteen"

Freddy Rodríguez’s “A-Rod Six of Thirteen,” 2007

In 2007 Alex “A-Rod” Rodriguez of the New York Yankees signed the largest contract in Major League Baseball history at the time: $275 million. The gold background represents Rodriguez’s status as one of the highest paid baseball players of all time.

National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution © 2007 Freddy Rodríguez

Alternate Title
Alex Rodriguez
Artist
Freddy Rodríguez, born 1945
Sitter
Alexander Emmanuel Rodriguez, born 1975
Date
2007
Type
Painting
Medium
Acrylic on canvas
Dimensions
Stretcher: 101.9 × 101.6 × 3.5 cm (40 1/8 × 40 × 1 3/8")
Credit Line
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
Copyright
© 2007 Freddy Rodríguez
Object number
NPG.2017.75
Exhibition Label
Born New York City
Alex Rodríguez (“A-Rod”) first learned to play base- ball from his father, who had played professional ball in the Dominican Republic. An exceptional young athlete, Rodríguez made his Major League Baseball debut with the Seattle Mariners in 1993, at age eighteen. Six years later, he signed with the Texas Rangers, who traded him to the New York Yankees in 2003.
During his twenty-two-year career, Rodríguez won three Most Valuable Player awards, and he proved to be one of the best all-around players in the sport. His 696 home runs placed him fourth behind Barry Bonds’s record of 762. Allegations of using performance-enhancing drugs, however, resulted in his suspension for the entire 2014 season, and two years later, he retired.
Inspired by Andy Warhol’s thirteen portraits of Elizabeth Taylor from 1963, Freddy Rodríguez painted thirteen portraits of A-Rod, evoking his celebrity status as one of the highest-paid baseball players of all time.
Nacido en Nueva York
Alex Rodríguez (“A-Rod”) aprendió a jugar béisbol con su padre, que había sido jugador profesional en la República Dominicana. Atleta excepcional, el joven Rodríguez debutó en las grandes ligas en 1993, a los 18 años, con los Seattle Mariners. Seis años más tarde firmó con los Texas Rangers, quienes en 2003 lo negociaron con los New York Yankees. Durante su carrera de 22 años, Rodríguez ganó tres veces el premio MVP (Jugador Más Valioso), y llegó a ser uno de los jugadores más completos de su deporte. Sus 696 jonrones lo hicieron el cuarto jonronero de todos los tiempos, siendo Barry Bonds el primero, con 762. No obstante, en la temporada de 2014 fue suspendido por alegaciones de que usaba drogas para mejorar su rendimiento. Dos años después se retiró. Inspirado en los 13 retratos de Elizabeth Taylor realizados por Andy Warhol en 1963, Freddy Rodríguez pintó 13 retratos de A-Rod, evocando su estatus de celebridad como uno de los beisbolistas mejor pagados de la historia.
Provenance
Freddy Rodríguez (b. 1945); purchased NPG 2017
Data Source
National Portrait Gallery
See more items in
National Portrait Gallery Collection
Place
United States\New York\Kings\New York\Queens\Flushing