Les Odalisques 1945

"Les Odalisques" was painted by Oscar Dominguez sometime in the 20th Century, using oil on canvas. Dominguez worked with a structured palette of earthy tones, punctuated by brighter accents, but the thing that strikes me most is the approach to mark making, the way the human form is broken down into geometric shapes, like a puzzle. Looking at the painting’s surface, you can see how Dominguez builds up layers of thin paint to create subtle textures and contrasts. The linear marks that describe the forms are really interesting. Take the figure at the bottom of the composition, her feet extend into the foreground, but they are simply defined by bold outlines. It is this kind of detail that reminds me of Picasso and the Cubist painters, in the way he uses the conventions of representation but then subverts them in interesting ways. Ultimately, this painting shows us how art can be an ongoing conversation between artists.