Rufino Tamayo (1899-1991)

Acquired from the artist
Private Collection, Ticino, Switzerland
Sale: Christie's, New York, Latin American Art, May 23, 2006, lot 30, illustrated in color

New York, Valentine Gallery, Rufino Tamayo, January-February, 1939, no. 14

This work is in original and perfect condition. It is still stretched on its original stretcher. The paint layer is unvarnished and wonderfully fresh and dry. There are very slight scuffs in all four corners which could be addressed, but the condition is remarkable overall. (This condition report has been provided courtesy of Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc.)
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

JUAN CARLOS PEREDA

In a long conversation with the Catalonian journalist Victor Alba, later published in book form as Coloquios de Coyoacán con Rufino Tamayo (1), Rufino Tamayo made the following comment: "Are we to assume that a still life by Cezanne is somehow less worthy than a painting by Delacroix, with its complex subject? What gives value to a work of art is not its subject matter, no matter what the demagogues may tell us. Rather, it is its technical language and its accommodation to the historical circumstances. Fluency in the artistic idiom chosen is not enough; the form of expression must be suited to the needs of the moment of creation; it must be up-to-date." This still life asserts Tamayo's dictum; indeed it is a masterpiece of the genre, unique within the artist's oeuvre.

With its refined use of transparent colors and its skillful execution, this still life displays many of Tamayo's innovations with which he infused his modern still life. Shown only once in the New York's Knoedler Gallery, January 1939, the work was acquired for a European collection where it remained for years. Although Tamayo adopted some of Adolfo Best Maugard's 1921 drawing methods which had been the standard for generations of Mexican school students, the artist's visual eloquence is clearly manifested in this brilliant spectacle of color.

Tamayo's elegant composition is enhanced by its appealing playful quality. The dessert glass from which the painting derives its name, takes on a sculptural quality against a set of theatrical curtains. The stillness of the scene is ruptured by a pair of fluttering butterflies around the dessert glass while the diagonals created by the knife and the cake cutter make the image dynamic and vibrant. As well, the background's iridescent quality creates a rather pleasing visual balance. The light that emanates from the glass, bathes the entire scene in a tenuous glow and mysterious touch.

(1) Victor Alba, Coloquios de Coyoacán don Rufino Tamayo, Costa Amic Editor, Colección Panoramas, Mexico, 1956.

Mexico City, 2006