Untitled 1939

Esteban Frances created this untitled oil on canvas at an unknown date. Frances, a Spanish artist associated with the Surrealist movement, lived through the Spanish Civil War and World War II, experiences that profoundly marked his artistic vision. This painting pulls us into a landscape populated by surreal figures that seem to be emerging from a tree. There is a face in the tree and a figure that could be interpreted as death. These images could be a meditation on mortality, trauma, and the psychological impact of conflict. The juxtaposition of organic forms with eerie figures evokes a sense of unease and invites reflection on the precariousness of existence. The color palette is unsettling, with a vivid red sky. Frances once said, "Painting is a means of access to the invisible." Through this painting, he offers us a glimpse into the invisible wounds of war, urging us to confront the emotional and existential realities of such events.