Barrio Escalante, San José

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La Torera, by Rafael Fernández. The serenity of a porcelain complexion sustains the entire weight of the scene.
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Rafael Fernández

La ToreraInquire about availability

Year
1994
Technique
Mixed Media
Dimensions
80 × 60 cm
Status
Inquire about availability
Palette
yellow ochre, vermilion red, carbon black, ivory white, cobalt blue
Brushwork
Ethereal glazes combined with linear scraping and textile weaves in mixed media

Curatorial analysis

The serenity of a porcelain complexion sustains the entire weight of the scene. Framed by a dark montera that absorbs the light, the face emerges with lunar whiteness and an almost sculptural modeling, where almond eyes and carmine lips seem suspended in an impenetrable reverie. This marble-like stillness does not yield to the agitation surrounding it; on the contrary, it acts as a silent anchor against the combustion of color that envelops the figure.

Around this facial calm, a meticulous plastic orchestration unfolds. The mixed media allows the layering of vaporous glazes and dry graphic marks, evident in the lace of the collar and the textile weaves hinting at a mantilla or a ceremonial cape. Fiery reds, solar yellows, and cobalt blues intersect in crosshatches that appear scratched or imprinted onto the surface, lending the attire an almost tactile vibration. This material density contrasts deliberately with the ethereal background, where ochre and earthy tones dissolve into a misty atmosphere that bathes the protagonist in a warm, undefined glow.

Toward the lower third, the hands extend this atmosphere of intimate enigma. The gentle gesture with which they hold a small card or playing card introduces a suspended tension, shifting bullfighting iconography into the realm of secrecy and omen. There is no arena violence or festival clamor here; the reference to the bullring is transfigured into pure interior ceremony. Fernández constructs a female presence both haughty and vulnerable, turned into a ritual of elegance where the torero costume becomes a sumptuous armor guarding her own destiny.

La Torera

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56 works

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