Tamayo, Rufino | Cabeza Sur Fonde Verte, P. 258, 1984 — available on Composition Gallery

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Cabeza Sur Fonde Verte, P.258 exemplifies Rufino Tamayo's sophisticated engagement with portraiture within the etching medium, exploring the human head as a site of chromatic intensity and psychological complexity. Executed in 1984 in a limited edition of ninety-nine, the work demonstrates Tamayo's mastery of tonal modulation and his ability to render the specificity of individual identity. The composition celebrates the artist's mature vision synthesizing modernist abstraction with the warm emotionality characteristic of his distinctive aesthetic practice.

Rufino Tamayo (Mexico, 1899–1991) blended modernism with Mexican heritage, creating bold, color-driven paintings and prints. Influenced by Zapotec culture, he avoided political narratives, focusing instead on universal themes and textured surfaces. His innovative use of color and form helped redefine 20th-century Mexican art beyond muralism.

Rufino Tamayo

Cabeza Sur Fonde Verte, P. 258, 1984

Name: Cabeza Sur Fonde Verte, P. 258, 1984
SKU: 16949
Price: 6600.00 USD
Availability: InStock

Form

Limited Edition Print

Limited Edition PrintA limited edition print is one of a number of prints made at the same time from one printmaking plate. A fixed number are made and signed by the artist, indicating the printing order, using the format 1/10, meaning first of ten prints.

Medium

Etching

EtchingEtching is a technique where a design is created on a metal surface by using a strong acid or mordant to eat away the unprotected parts of the metal, leaving the desired pattern in relief (intaglio). In modern art and manufacturing, different chemicals may be used depending on the material being etched.

Edition

Edition of 99

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Can you believe that, to say that ours is the only path when the fundamental thing in art is freedom! In art, there are millions of paths—as many paths as there are artists.

— Rufino Tamayo

Rufino Tamayo (b. 1899 Mexico, d. 1991 Mexico) was a painter and printmaker who forged a distinct path within 20th-century modern art. Blending elements of Mexican folk traditions with international modernism, his work resists overt political narratives in favor of universal themes such as humanity, cosmology, and existence. Tamayo is known for his rich color palettes, textured surfaces, and simplified, often monumental forms. Working across painting, mural, and graphic media, he developed innovative techniques, particularly in printmaking, where he helped popularize the mixografia process. Influenced by pre-Columbian art and European movements like Cubism, Tamayo created a visual language that feels both ancient and contemporary. His work situates him between cultural specificity and global abstraction, making him a key figure in redefining Mexican art beyond nationalist frameworks.

Artwork by Roy Lichtenstein

What is late modernism?

Late Modernism refers to the continuation and evolution of Modernist principles in art, architecture, and literature from the mid-20th century into the late 20th century. This movement maintains a focus on form, abstraction, and the rejection of traditional styles, but it often incorporates more complexity and ambiguity compared to early Modernism. Late Modernism explores themes such as alienation, identity, and the fragmentation of reality, reflecting the social and cultural shifts of the post-war period. It is seen in the works of architects like Louis Kahn and artists like Francis Bacon, who pushed the boundaries of Modernism while responding to the changing world around them.

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Rufino Tamayo

Cabeza Sur Fonde Verte, P. 258, 1984

55.9 x 74.9 cm

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Rufino Tamayo