San Juan Capistrano Altar Dome from the portfolio "Decorative Art of Spanish California" 1935 - 1942

Here we have an anonymous plate from a portfolio entitled "Decorative Art of Spanish California", featuring details from the Altar Dome in San Juan Capistrano. I wonder what it was like to paint high up on a dome, craning your neck and trying to keep the design symmetrical as you rotate around a central point. The artist seems to have used a limited palette of tan, light blue, and red, achieving balance and rhythm. It is interesting how they created such a decorative piece with these few colors. I'm struck by the simplicity and directness of the shapes. They're not trying to be overly complex, but there is a real beauty in their basic form and repetition. Look at the way the little curves and lines make up the larger design. You can feel the artist thinking about how each element fits together, creating something harmonious. These artists are in an ongoing dialogue with one another across time, inspiring new ways of thinking and making. In their hands, painting becomes an embodied form of expression, embracing ambiguity and inviting endless interpretation.