Moors with flock 1972

Jesús Meneses del Barco made this painting, Moors with Flock, with a brushy, hazy palette of browns, greens, and yellows. It feels like the painting was built up in layers, a process where each stroke isn't precious, but part of a bigger, evolving picture. Look at the texture here: the paint isn’t trying to hide itself. Del Barco’s touch is really evident, especially where the flock is gathered; it's scumbled and broken, giving the impression of movement and life. I can almost feel the wool, and smell the land. There's a real dialogue between the paint and the subject. It reminds me a little of Corot, who also knew how to make something out of almost nothing, to evoke atmosphere and feeling with simple strokes. Ultimately, in this work, it's the quiet ambiguity that gets me, the way it leaves room for the imagination.