Celdas Difíciles 1946

This watercolor by Xul Solar shows a stepped landscape with ladders everywhere. Looking at these precariously placed ladders, I can imagine Xul Solar puzzling over a painting, stepping back, squinting, adding another line, another figure. Did he feel like he was climbing a ladder, always reaching, always trying to get somewhere higher, a better view, to see something new? The earth tones feel warm, while the cool blues make the figures pop against the ochre buildings. The texture, achieved with delicate washes and fine lines, gives a surreal depth to the painting. Solar’s other works share a similar esoteric quality, often depicting imaginary cities and landscapes. Like Paul Klee, he created a unique visual language. There is an ongoing conversation between artists, isn’t there? Each one building on the visions and experiments of those who came before, climbing ladders to reach new heights of expression.