Hombre en negro

Rufino Tamayo's renowned skill as a colorist has roots in his childhood. He was orphaned at age 12 and went to live in Mexico City with an aunt who sold tropical fruit in the market. Tamayo helped in her colorful shop. Later, uncomfortable with the nationalistic fervor surrounding the mural program, he would often leave Mexico to live in New York and Paris. Seeing Picasso's work influenced him greatly. When Tamayo did paint murals, they tended toward symbolism-in the spirit of the figure here-rather than the picturesque imagery of his contemporaries.