Santo 1936

Maude Valle hand colored this print, titled Santo, in 1936. She approached mark making with a kind of tender reverence, echoing, perhaps, the subject matter of the piece. The texture feels both aged and immediate. Look at the way the paint is built up around the figure. It's not quite thick, but has this sort of gentle layering effect, as if Valle returned to the same spots again and again. It's almost like how a memory is formed, repeated impressions building up over time. The redness of the figure's robe is striking, not just for its boldness, but how it seems to glow against the more muted, earthy tones around it. Valle’s work, particularly in its attention to detail and use of color, reminds me a little of Marsden Hartley, although Hartley’s handling of paint is perhaps more expressionistic. Both artists, though, create a space for the viewer to bring their own understanding. Art is about opening up conversations, not closing them down.