Interior with nude 1956

Rafael Zabaleta made this painting, Interior with nude, with oil on canvas. The thing I notice right off the bat is how the artist doesn't try to trick us into believing what we see. Instead, the process is up front. The paint handling is direct and unapologetic. Look at the way Zabaleta models the central nude's stomach and thighs. These lines remind me of Diebenkorn's figurative paintings. The surface has this incredible flatness, and the color palette is grounded in earthy tones. The painting’s power is that it creates a world, almost like a stage set, that feels more real than reality itself. And there’s an ongoing dialogue between the artist, the model, and the viewer, which is kind of amazing. Zabaleta reminds us that art is less about answers and more about asking the right questions.