.jpg?w=1)
.jpg?w=1)
.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
Still lifes, particularly those that depict watermelon slices, are a recurring motif in Rufino Tamayo’s oeuvre, and can be considered as a symbol of his artistic identity. From an apparently elementary subject, Tamayo developed compositions of considerable plastic intensity, in which the mundane object transforms into a site for exploring the possibilities of formal and aesthetic creation.
In Sandías (1968), Tamayo reinterprets the traditional still life through a thoughtful exploration of movement. Rather than simply rendering still objects through shape and color, the artist creates a sense of dynamism that challenges the common understanding of the genre.
The composition establishes a dialogue with Paul Cézanne, who likewise carefully arranged his presentation of fruits in his paintings, and was artist whom Tamayo greatly admired.
In the present work, Tamayo arranges three slices of watermelon with varying foreshortened angles to underscore the movement of the scene. This approach is most clearly displayed in the slice on the left, which is rendered with the most pronounced angle.
The shadows cast by the fruit further emphasize their physical presence and volume. Simultaneously, certain lines that recede into space introduce yet another dimension within the composition. The ensemble is complemented by three spheric forms that likewise participate in the abstract spatial construction. These forms recur in other drawings from this series, in the form of cherries, lemons, or apples, while in this work they acquire an essentially spherical configuration.
The precision and refinement Tamayo displays in his execution of this series serves as evidence of his tremendous capacity to explore the expressive possibilities of drawing through virtuous execution.
In this sense, this series constitutes significant testimony to his mastery of a discipline to which, despite its importance within his production, Rufino Tamayo devoted a relatively limited number of works.
Professor Juan Carlos Pereda
September 2026
In Sandías (1968), Tamayo reinterprets the traditional still life through a thoughtful exploration of movement. Rather than simply rendering still objects through shape and color, the artist creates a sense of dynamism that challenges the common understanding of the genre.
The composition establishes a dialogue with Paul Cézanne, who likewise carefully arranged his presentation of fruits in his paintings, and was artist whom Tamayo greatly admired.
In the present work, Tamayo arranges three slices of watermelon with varying foreshortened angles to underscore the movement of the scene. This approach is most clearly displayed in the slice on the left, which is rendered with the most pronounced angle.
The shadows cast by the fruit further emphasize their physical presence and volume. Simultaneously, certain lines that recede into space introduce yet another dimension within the composition. The ensemble is complemented by three spheric forms that likewise participate in the abstract spatial construction. These forms recur in other drawings from this series, in the form of cherries, lemons, or apples, while in this work they acquire an essentially spherical configuration.
The precision and refinement Tamayo displays in his execution of this series serves as evidence of his tremendous capacity to explore the expressive possibilities of drawing through virtuous execution.
In this sense, this series constitutes significant testimony to his mastery of a discipline to which, despite its importance within his production, Rufino Tamayo devoted a relatively limited number of works.
Professor Juan Carlos Pereda
September 2026