canvases. In 1935, Reverón began his sepia period following a major schizophrenic attack in 1933. During this time, the artist experimented with a more subdued color palette ofen leaving much of the canvas untouched, creating a raw texture and emulating the visual quality of blinding light. The present lot, Ranchos de Macuto (1941) is a prime example of Reverón’s later modernist style. Composed of deeper jewel tones such as greens, blues, ochre and grey, the artist created an expressionistic composition. In the foreground, Reverón depicted a slender tree, whose long branches separate the picture plane diagonally. The huts in the background are merely outlined and rendered with loose painterly brushstrokes. Similar to many of his earlier works, Reverón lef much of the canvas untouched, reminiscent of his sepia period. Although Reverón executed many landscapes throughout his career, Ranchos de Macuto is unique in its compositional liberty. The instability of the formal elements creates a dynamic composition which illustrates the artist’s tactile style and anticipates later chromatic abstract paintings. One of the important elements of this work is the original coconut frame, which Reverón created from coconut trees found on his property in Macuto. According to expert Rafael Romero, there are less than 12 works with this original coconut frame. This frame is not only rare, but it also highlights Reverón’s interest in creating his own artistic tools including frames, brushes and burlap canvases. Ranchos de Macuto is one of the few complete examples of Reverón’s revolutionary modernist technique and exemplifes the infuence of his surroundings and the incorporation of natural materials in his art.
Camille Pissarro, Apple Trees at Pontoise, 1872. Pastel on paper, Private collection
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