El Borracho 1926

María Blanchard probably used oils on canvas to create this painting of a drinker. I wonder about the textures, was she using brushes or knives? Look at the way she builds up layers with thick strokes, especially in his face. You can almost feel the artist’s hand moving across the canvas, shifting and adjusting, trying to find the right form. There’s this sense of searching, of the painting evolving through trial and error, intuition, and a deep understanding of form. The colour palette is earthy and subdued, ochres, blues, and browns creating a mood that's both intimate and melancholic. His expression seems vacant, lost in thought, like he is miles away. Blanchard painted this with honesty and vulnerability, inviting us to see the world through her eyes. It is a poignant reminder of the power of painting to capture fleeting moments and complex emotions, as well as the importance of artists being in conversation with one another across time, pushing the boundaries of expression.