A Carioca 1957

Emiliano Di Cavalcanti made this painting, A Carioca, with fluid brushstrokes and a palette of greens, browns, and reds, evoking a sense of tropical warmth and a touch of theatricality. Imagine Di Cavalcanti in his studio, brush in hand, conjuring this scene. I love the way the light defines the woman’s form, with these sharp-edged patches of yellow on her arms and chest. And those hands down in the corner of the painting, one so lurid, and the other so decoratively striped – what are they doing there? I wonder if Di Cavalcanti had an idea of how he wanted this painting to turn out, or whether it surprised him. These artists, they’re always in conversation, aren't they? Like Matisse, Di Cavalcanti's painting offers a new way of seeing and experiencing. The ambiguous space allows for a multitude of interpretations, resisting any fixed meaning. It's a feeling, a memory, a fleeting moment captured in paint.