Rufino Tamayo (1899-1991)

Marlborough Gallery, New York
Acquired from the above
Sale: Christie's, New York, Latin American Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture, November 21, 1989, lot 31, illustrated in color 
Private Collection, Mexico
Acquired from the above by the present owner 

Christina Souza, "Rufino Tamayo: los artistas no somos prácticos," Buenhogar, ed. 17, no. 14, Mexico City, June 30, 1982, p. 8, illustrated 

This work is in very good condition overall. The canvas is unlined and well-stretched. The colors are vibrant, and the media layer is stable. Scattered, minor spots of media loss measuring less than 1/8 inch in diameter are present along the extreme edges of the work, most noticeably in each of the extreme upper corners. Two additional pinpoint spots of paint loss are present along the extreme lower right edge of the canvas. A fine vertical line of craquelure is present along the length of the extreme right edge of the canvas. Under ultraviolet light examination, fluorescence occurs throughout which appears to be inherent to the media selected by the artist.
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.

Rufino Tamayo’s mastery of color and prodigious innovations in form and composition are clearly evidenced in Niña atleta. A dynamic example of the artist’s mature style, Niña atleta is exquisitely painted in oscillating shades of violet and green, enrobed in a halo of magenta and earth-red tones that seem to lift her out of the picture plane and into our world. Tamayo’s glowing hues create a sense of optimism and jubilation that are infectious; her mask-like face gives her an aura of mystery and universality, rendering her a joyful and eternal icon of youth. The artist frequently revisited this theme of blissful childhood in his later years, perhaps in a nostalgic reminiscence on his early career as a teacher. The visual economy of Niña atleta, which is comprised entirely of simple, elemental squares, circles, and triangles, both hearkens back to the geometric foundations Tamayo passed on to his students and signifies “the essence of Tamayo’s strived-after universality…which can be traced back to his early (and continued) fascination with pre-hispanic art. The Maya, Azctecs and other indigenous peoples of Mexico were geniuses at expressing the essential qualities of a human figure…with a few lines.” (1) Tamayo masterfully combines pre-Columbian aesthetic sensitivities with a modernist treatment of texture and color to monumentalize his youthful heroine.

1: Edward Sullivan, “Paths of Light: The Art of Rufino Tamayo” in Tamayo:  Recent Paintings, New York 1990, p. 9