Frutero vacio 1976

Rufino Tamayo made this painting, "Frutero vacio," with oil on canvas, and it’s a real feast for the eyes, isn’t it? Just look at the texture – you can almost feel the rough surface of the canvas! I imagine Tamayo, brush in hand, layering these gorgeous reds and yellows, pushing and pulling the paint, until this scene emerges. It’s like he’s conjuring up the memory of a room, a table, a bowl, rather than just painting what he sees. And that bowl! Empty, yes, but it’s got such a presence. There’s a dialogue happening between the colors, how they vibrate against each other, creating this incredible tension. It reminds me of other painters, like Rothko, who use color to evoke emotion. Tamayo seems to be saying that a painting isn’t just about representation; it’s about feeling, about the sheer joy of making marks. It’s about the conversation between artists across time, inspiring each other to see the world anew.