Description
The work "Valle de México from the hill of Santa Isabel" of 1892, painted by José María Velasco, is an exquisite representation of the Mexican landscape and a testimony of the deep love that the author felt for his homeland. Velasco, one of the most prominent exponents of Mexican landscaping of the nineteenth century, managed to capture in this painting not only the greatness of the Valley of Mexico, but also the dialogue that exists between nature and human intervention.
The composition of the work is organized so that the hill from which the valley is observed offers a panoramic perspective. The viewer's gaze slides through the vast extension of the landscape, beginning in the foreground with the vegetation that covers the hill of Santa Isabel, where the details of the flora are meticulously registered. In this area, the paint shows a vibrant green, which is mixed with the softest tones of the sky at dawn, suggesting a serene and contemplative atmosphere.
The colored palette used by Velasco is rich and varied, highlighting the greens in various shades, which evoke the freshness of nature, and the blue of the sky that merge with the earth's colors of the mountains that emerge in the background. This careful selection of colors not only brings a visual reality to the landscape, but also infuses a sense of poetry, turning vision into an almost spiritual experience. The warm tones of dawn suggest hope and rebirth, while the shadows in the distance grant depth and dimension to the painting.
Throughout his career, Velasco stood out for his ability to represent the light and its effects on the landscape. In "Valley of Mexico from the hill of Santa Isabel", it is observed how the light of the incipient sun bathes the valley and reveals its nuances, creating a game of lights and shadows that gives life to each element represented. The Velasco technique and its detail attention allow the viewer to almost feel the soft breeze that accompanies the sunrise and hear the murmur of nature.
The representation of the horizon in the work is remarkable, since the mountains that extend towards the bottom are appreciated, which denotes a sense of continuity and space. The Valley of Mexico unfolds before our eyes, covering the greatness of the basin and the majesty of the volcanoes that adorn the landscape, a recurring element in Velasco's work. Here, the Popocatépetl and the Iztaccíhuatl stand as silent custodians of the Valley, symbolizing both geographically and culturally to the Mexican nation.
Although there are no visible human characters in painting, the work suggests the presence of man through civilization that gives life to that environment, such as the cultivated fields that indicate agriculture, a vital activity in the life of the inhabitants of the valley . You could say that the spirit of the Mexican people, their work and their connection with the earth, are implicitly in the representation of the landscape.
"Valley of Mexico from the hill of Santa Isabel" is not only an example of the technical ability of José María Velasco, but also an echo of his love for the Mexican landscape. Through this work, the artist invites us to stop and contemplate the natural and cultural beauty of his homeland, thus creating a legacy that transcends time and continues to resonate in the appreciation of art and nature. This painting is a window to the past, a testimony of an era, and a symbol of the wealth of the Mexican landscape that still lasts in collective memory.
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