Rufino Tamayo

Mexican, 1899–1991

2.3k followers

Rufino Tamayo

Bio

Mexican, 1899–1991

Followers
2.3k
Biography

Rufino Tamayo, a Mexican artist of Zapotecan Indian descent, combined European painting styles and Mexican folk motifs in his paintings and prints. Tamayo, admired the works of Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque, and Henri Matisse, developed a strong interest in pre-Columbian art while working at the National Museum of Archaeology in Mexico City. He reacted against the political overtones of the Mexican muralists Diego Rivera, David Alfaro Siqueiros, and José Clemente Orozco; instead, he was concerned with form and symbolism, and combining Mexican styles with Cubism and Surrealism. He was also active in the development of Mixografia, a printmaking technique used to create deep textured effects.

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Career Highlights
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Auction
High auction record
$7m, Christie's, 2008
User
Solo show at a major institution
Museo Reina Sofia, and 2 more
Group
Group show at a major institution
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), and 5 more
Institution
Collected by a major institution
Tate, and 2 more
Publication
Reviewed by a major art publication
Artforum
Fair
Included in a major biennial
Venice Biennale National Pavilion, and 2 more
Biography

Rufino Tamayo, a Mexican artist of Zapotecan Indian descent, combined European painting styles and Mexican folk motifs in his paintings and prints. Tamayo, admired the works of Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque, and Henri Matisse, developed a strong interest in pre-Columbian art while working at the National Museum of Archaeology in Mexico City. He reacted against the political overtones of the Mexican muralists Diego Rivera, David Alfaro Siqueiros, and José Clemente Orozco; instead, he was concerned with form and symbolism, and combining Mexican styles with Cubism and Surrealism. He was also active in the development of Mixografia, a printmaking technique used to create deep textured effects.

Career Highlights
Learn more about artist insights.
Auction
High auction record
$7m, Christie's, 2008
User
Solo show at a major institution
Museo Reina Sofia, and 2 more
Group
Group show at a major institution
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), and 5 more
Institution
Collected by a major institution
Tate, and 2 more
Publication
Reviewed by a major art publication
Artforum
Fair
Included in a major biennial
Venice Biennale National Pavilion, and 2 more
Shows Featuring Rufino Tamayo
Articles Featuring Rufino Tamayo
The Most Influential Latin American Artists of the 20th Century
Nov 18th, 2019
The Most Influential Latin American Artists of the 20th Century
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