Santos Retablos 1936

Curator: Here we have "Santos Retablos," crafted by Maude Valle in 1936. It's a work rendered with tempera and watercolor over a charcoal drawing, adopting the portrait style, as you can see. Editor: The somber hues strike me first. A pervasive umber palette lends the piece an almost antiquated feel. What's your take on the materiality here? Curator: The layered application of media – charcoal, tempera, watercolor – speaks to the artistic process. I am also considering the material's implications regarding the societal function and the availability of resources during that period. The piece evokes an academic understanding rooted in its cultural setting. Editor: I see that, but can't ignore how the halo subtly intersects with the vertical plane, fracturing our depth perception. Then there is the rendering of figures and that bold decision to depict a linear cage on the bottom, which does not read convincingly at all. It adds an unsettling element. Curator: The choice of media influences its reading. Tempera lends itself to the meticulous details in representing saints or religious figures in the colonial tradition. Meanwhile, the raw strokes visible from the underdrawing hint at the production process. It’s less about flawless representation and more about symbolic representation. Editor: Precisely! And I wonder if the raw edges and imperfections underscore a raw authenticity, defying the clean lines and flawless surfaces typical of traditional iconographies. How interesting. Curator: It does prompt us to consider craft production—the labor involved. Valle isn’t just creating an image. She is producing an object infused with her hand, skill, and the material’s capabilities within a specific economy. Editor: Agreed. Reflecting upon it, the interplay between technique and the rawness grants this "Santos Retablos" such captivating appeal. Curator: Yes, thinking through process and resources reshapes our understanding beyond simple aesthetics, connecting us to social practices.