Dwarf with Red Flowers 2005

This oil painting, Dwarf with Red Flowers, by Stefan Caltia, is set against a vivid blue backdrop. The figure of the dwarf, centered in the composition, is adorned with a floral arch. It’s as if Caltia conjured this figure from a dream, layering each element with delicate brushstrokes, letting it emerge slowly. I imagine him stepping back, squinting, adjusting the colors, until the balance feels just right. The iris-patterned dress and those intriguing, fur-like appendages extending from the arms feel playful. The way the dress hangs suggests movement, as if the figure is caught mid-sway, perhaps to some unheard melody. It reminds me of Guston’s later works, where figuration returns in unexpected ways. Like him, Caltia is unafraid to embrace whimsy. Caltia seems to say, let’s find beauty in the unexpected, and let’s paint it with all the tenderness we can muster.