Plate 28: The Holy Family: From Portfolio "Spanish Colonial Designs of New Mexico" 1935 - 1942

Editor: Here we have "Plate 28: The Holy Family: From Portfolio 'Spanish Colonial Designs of New Mexico'," an anonymous watercolor drawing created between 1935 and 1942. The figures seem stiff, almost like paper dolls, yet the bold colors are surprisingly captivating. What do you make of this piece? Curator: From a formalist perspective, it's fascinating to observe how the artist manipulates space and form to convey meaning. Note the flattened perspective and the simplification of the figures. There's a deliberate rejection of realism in favor of geometric shapes and stylized features. How do you feel the choice of watercolor impacts the overall composition? Editor: It gives it a certain lightness, I think. The colors aren't intense, and it keeps it from feeling too serious, even though the subject is religious. Do you think the lack of detail detracts or adds to the experience? Curator: Neither. The lack of detail compels us to consider the relationships between the forms and colors. Observe the dominance of red throughout the composition, unifying the figures and creating a sense of visual harmony, if perhaps somewhat unsettling harmony. Do you agree with the overall balance it achieves? Editor: Yes, the way the artist uses simple shapes and colors creates a distinct visual rhythm. Although the representation of the subjects doesn't follow a naturalistic model, there is an inherent order in its formal composition. I see how those choices affect my reading. Curator: Precisely. The artwork doesn't strive to replicate reality, but to establish a self-contained system of visual relationships that invites a certain viewing. Editor: Thank you. That definitely shifted my perspective, I was so focused on the subject, and missed all that!