Antonio Machado 2013

Alejandro Cabeza painted this portrait of Antonio Machado with oil on canvas. The painting's earthy tones and visible brushstrokes give it an immediacy, like it was made alla prima, wet on wet. You can almost feel the artist's hand moving across the canvas, smearing and building up the paint to conjure the poet's likeness. I imagine Cabeza standing there, mixing browns and fleshy pinks, squinting, stepping back, then lunging forward to capture the fleeting expression on Machado’s face. I wonder if the artist was thinking about other portraits while making this? Velazquez comes to mind, another Spanish painter who knew how to capture the weight and dignity of a person with just a few deft strokes. It’s like they are all in conversation together. Each artist leaves their mark, their unique way of seeing, but they are also part of this long chain of painters who keep the tradition alive, one brushstroke at a time.