Mexican & Guatemalan Artwork

"Rio  Suchiate”

This original oil painting depicts Mexican and Guatemalan natives bartering, and trading along the Rio Suchiate. Escalera was driven to capture the beauty of this event after traveling to the Mexican state of Chiapas where this annual event takes place. Escalera loved to take photographs of Latin culture, later Escalera would use these photographs as the inspiration for his artwork. Ironically this oil painting has often been mistaken for a photograph itself.

The beautiful colors and the detailed stitch work of the women's clothing are the result of Escalera’s unparalleled attention to detail. Only a few square inches of canvas could take days, sometimes weeks for him to paint. Escalera mixed and created all of his own colors and was know to paint over a completed section until the colors were just right.

Using "00" paintbrushes and taking thousands of hours to create, Escalera has captured a snapshot in time, transporting the viewer to the Rio Suchiate. See more Latin Art by Rodolfo Escalera.