Naturaleza Muerta Composición 1917

María Blanchard offers us a complex still life composition through paint. We see the recurring motif of the checkerboard, a design that has long symbolized the duality of existence, of light and darkness, found in many forms of artistic expression. This echoes through history, from ancient religious art to modern works. Consider its appearance in medieval morality plays, a stage representing the world, or even in the Masonic tradition, where it represents the good and evil in human life. The checkerboard pattern, deeply rooted in our collective consciousness, taps into the subconscious recognition of life’s inherent contrasts and tensions. Blanchard uses these symbols not just as visual elements, but as emotional triggers that speak to our innermost understanding of balance and conflict. It is a testament to the enduring power of symbols, continually reshaped, yet perpetually resonant.