Nuestros dioses antiguos 1916

Saturnino Herrán created this work, Nuestros dioses antiguos, with oil on canvas. The colours are like earth, a muted palette bringing the figures into a close, intimate relationship with the land, or the idea of the land. You can feel the process. Herrán’s brushstrokes are visible, carefully building up form and texture. The paint is not too thick, not too thin, allowing the light to play across the surface. Look at the way he models the figures. They emerge from the background, and the smooth transitions of tone create a sculptural quality. In the middle ground, notice the shields. They act as a grounding device, formally anchoring the composition and offering a textural contrast to the figures' smooth skin. Herrán, like Diego Rivera, was interested in the indigenismo movement, reclaiming indigenous culture in Mexico after the revolution. The way the figures emerge from the earth reminds me of Paula Modersohn-Becker, another artist who was interested in the relationship between figures and land.