San Luis Obispo Mission Altar Tabernacle from the portfolio "Decorative Art of Spanish California" 1935 - 1942

This graphic print of a tabernacle from the San Luis Obispo Mission is a cool example of early Californian decorative art, made anonymously, and shows the kind of stylized flower motifs that adorned the missions. There's a real sense of playful abstraction here. The design has been simplified and flattened. The colors are muted – earthy reds, yellows, and blues – all applied in flat areas, which feels distinctly modern even though it’s a historical piece. Look at how the central flower is constructed – it's almost like a geometric puzzle of shapes fitting together. You can trace the outlines of each petal and leaf. It's hard to know exactly what tools were used, but it's easy to imagine the artist carefully layering the colors to create this layered effect, like printmaking. It reminds me a little of early Stuart Davis, who took inspiration from everyday signage. I love that this piece feels both deeply rooted in tradition and surprisingly fresh. It’s a reminder that art is an ongoing conversation, always finding new ways to see and interpret the world around us.