I would definitely agree that Harran was a better technician and composer then Rivera, but in the end paintings and murals are about communicating ideas. And IMO Rivera had the better and more universal ideas then Harran. Of course who knows where he would have gone with another 40 years. Love them both!
February 23, 2016 at 7:41 AM
Saturnino Herrán (1887-1918) was a Mexican painter who died aged 31 after an operation for a gastric problem. His Wikipedia entry is here and a longer biography that includes an evaluation of his work is here. Charley Parker blogged about him here.
Herrán was an almost exact contemporary of Diego Rivera, a more famous -- but lesser, in my opinion -- painter. One wonders whether Herrán would have evolved his subjects and style in the direction of Rivera, Orozco, Siqueros and others whose careers spanned the 1930s and often dealt with political subjects.
As it was, his style apparently was influenced by Frank Brangwyn and, to my mind, is similar to many of George Washington Lambert's works. Herrán was an excellent draftsman and his paintings include lines that help define his subjects. In a word, it can be called muralistic. But then, he also painted murals, so it all makes sense.
Gallery
[Image]El rebozo - 1916
A study for the paintings below.
[Image]La criolla del rebozo
[Image]El Ciego - blind man - 1914
[Image]La criolla del mantón - 1915
[Image]Girl with Calabaza - 1917
[Image]La dama del mantón - his wife
[Image]La criolla del mango
[Image]La cosecha - 1909
[Image]La ofrenda - 1913
posted by Donald Pittenger at 1:00 AM on Feb 22, 2016
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Close this window Jump to comment formI would definitely agree that Harran was a better technician and composer then Rivera, but in the end paintings and murals are about communicating ideas. And IMO Rivera had the better and more universal ideas then Harran. Of course who knows where he would have gone with another 40 years. Love them both!
February 23, 2016 at 7:41 AM