JPL Oil Painting Desolation Child Mourning Dead Grandmother in Michoacan

Description

JPL Oil Painting Desolation Child Mourning Dead Grandmother in Michoacan

This oil painting on canvas, titled "Desolación" (Desolation) and signed with the initials JPL, is a captivating piece that enchants with its emotional narrative and profound meaning. The artwork portrays a poignant scene where a lonely and barefoot child is inside a humble hut made of stones and wooden logs. Seeking shelter from the cold, the child wraps himself in a warm blanket, alongside his straw hat, used when working in the fields. Next to him, a bottle with a candle illuminates his surroundings.

The candlelight also reveals the figure of an elderly person, with long, white hair, lying on a mat and covered by another blanket. A piece of cloth tied above their head suggests that this person, possibly the child's grandmother, has recently passed away. The artwork evokes a deep sense of solitude, loss, and the connection between generations.

The hut itself, with a door partly made from a wooden sign that reads "Zinapécuaro, HOY Gran Tapada de Gallos," transports us to a small village in Mexico between Morelia and Querétaro. This reference to the "Gran Tapada de Gallos" immerses us in the tradition of illegal cockfights, where betting was commonplace.

The painting is in excellent condition and is mounted in an elegant, carved, and gilded wooden frame that enhances its beauty. While we haven't been able to identify the artist with the initials JPL, the composition of the artwork reminds us of an engraving by Leopoldo Méndez titled "La Muerte en Casa." This suggests that the author could have been a local Michoacán artist from the mid-20th century, influenced by the Taller de Gráfica Popular.

"Desolación" is a window into Mexico's complex relationship with death, a theme deeply rooted in our culture and traditions. This piece inspires profound conversations and reflections on life and loss.