Mujer con calabaza 1917

Saturnino Herrán made this beautiful artwork in 1917 with delicate strokes in watercolor and charcoal. I can imagine him sketching this woman holding a pumpkin, maybe in his studio, or perhaps outdoors. He must have felt drawn to capture her, the tenderness in her smile, and the way she cradles the pumpkin. It's like he's saying, "Here is life, right here!" The lines in the drawing are gentle, not too forceful, as if he wanted to preserve the moment's softness. There’s a touch of symbolism too. The cactus in the background might be there to remind us of the Mexican landscape and its people. Herrán does something similar to what Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo do later. They all were keen on showing what it meant to be Mexican, each in their own way.