$81,250
Rufino Tamayo (Mexican, 1899-1991) Sandías Signed, dated, and numbered "TAMAYO/O-89/6/7" on the top of the base. Steel with a black patina, 79 1/4 x 12 1/2 x 12 1/2 in. (201.3 x 31.8 x 31.8 cm). Condition: Scattered scratches and abrasions. Provenance: Marie-José Tramini; José Sol Rosales; Jose Perez; by family descent to the current private collection. N.B. A painter, printmaker, and sculptor, Rufino Tamayo was a prolific artist influenced by his Mexican heritage as well as by European modernism, including Cubism and Surrealism. He developed a unique style focused on form and color in the depiction of vernacular objects like the animals and fruits of his home country. Rejecting the social realism and the historical narrative style of his contemporaries, Mexican muralists Diego Rivera and José Clemente Orozco, Tamayo studied color, line, and composition in his still lifes which, over time, became increasingly minimalist. Tamayo began to create sculptures late in life, and this iconic example presents the watermelon motif in its sparest form—devoid of color, texture, or detail, but still recognizable by its distinctive shape. Estimate $80,000-120,000 Items may have wear and tear, imperfections, or the effects of aging. Any condition statement given, as a courtesy to a client, is only an opinion and should not be treated as a statement of fact. Skinner shall have no responsibility for any error or omission.
Auctioneer:
Skinner
Date:
2021-01-22
