Rufino Tamayo - American N.Y. / Mexico 1899-1991 - Modernist Still life of Watermelons.Oil on Cut Canvas & board. Signed & Dated 0-79 Lower Right. 19" x 23.50" Tamayo, along with Diego Rivera, Orozco, Siqueiros represented their Native Country of Mexico in the 20th Century. Tamayo's method situates his composition as the focal point instead of emphasizing the subject alone. By doing so, one looks at the painting as a whole. He explained his approach to Paul Westheim as follows: "As the number of colors we use decreases, the wealth of possibilities increases". Tamayo favored using few colors rather than many; he asserted that fewer colors in a painting gave the art greater force and meaning. Tamayo's unique color choices are evident in the painting Tres personajes cantando (Three singers), 1981. In this painting, Tamayo employs pure colors such as red and purple; his restraint in the choice of color here confirms his belief that fewer colors, far from limiting the painting, actually enlarge the composition's possibilities.With that being said, Octavio Paz, author of the book Rufino Tamayo, argues that, "Time and again we have been told that Tamayo is a great colourist; but it should be added that this richness of colour is the result of sobriety". By being pure or, as Paz explained, sober with his color choice, Tamayo's paintings were enriched, not impoverished.From a Private New York Collection.

Excellent.