Rodolfo Morales (Mexican, 1925-2001) , "Untitled (Dreamscape)", oil on canvas, signed lower right, 31 3/4 in. x 39 in., framed . Provenance: Acquired on a trip to Mexico, c. 1980; thence by descent. Note: One of Mexico’s twentieth century masters, Rodolfo Morales was known as the painter of dreams. Many of his works were inspired by dreams of his hometown, Ocotlán, in Oaxaca. The color palette, colonial architecture and indigenous people that inhabit his paintings are reminiscent of Oaxaca and much of its folklore. Women and memories are at the heart of Morales’ work. He once explained: “Mexico would be lost without the steadfast work of women. They bear the burden of day-to-day living and find solutions to those problems to which men simply resign themselves.” As seen in the classic work offered here, the women seem to be engaged in a silent communication with one another and their surroundings. These strong placid figures are inspired by the nostalgic memories of his youth and the keen recollections of his mother and aunts—women who fully comprehended and celebrated the strength of their local beliefs and customs and who ultimately passed on this understanding to Morales. This painting combines the artist’s characteristic rich use of color, oversized faces and dreamy floating figures with the landscape and architectural elements of a small town in Mexico – the town square, arcaded shops, church and government palace which made an impression on the young artist. In a 1995 interview Morales explained: "I came here to live in my memories…nostalgia and melancholy are very important to me." Despite this, Morales avoided discussing the meaning of his work, often producing paintings without titles, such as this one. Ruffino Tamayo wrote of Morales for one of his early exhibitions: “His painting, as it is easy to prove, is not done with just the mind, but mainly with the heart. His simple, direct message does not strike us superficially as is the case with something that is merely intellectualizing; rather it reaches deep inside us and makes us feel it and enjoy it fully, because it is imbued with truth and we already know the presence of truth is always exciting.” Ref.: “Rodolfo Morales.” Inverarte Art Gallery. www.inverarteartgallery.com. Accessed Mar. 6, 2021

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