This work belongs to a series inspired by the artist’s memories of Brazil, painted after his return to Spain following almost twenty years there. In Potter, Espona sensitively portrays a member of the Coroados Indigenous people absorbed in his craft. The male figure is shown concentrating on shaping a clay vessel—a gesture that goes beyond the work of the hands to become a symbol of living culture, of a bond with the earth and its natural cycles.
The palette-knife technique lends the painting an earthy, almost organic texture, reinforcing the connection between body, material and surroundings. The work speaks of balance, self-reliance and ancestral beauty, evoking a simple, harmonious way of life, far removed from the tensions of the modern world.
“Upon his return to Spain, after almost twenty years away, Vicente de Espona painted these palette-knife oils of the Coroados people, drawing on his memories of Brazil. He had lived among them in an idyllic place, so much so that he did not wish to return to civilisation. He had everything: pure, crystal-clear waters, spearfishing, and women who lived naturally, free from troubles. Once again, life reminds us that we cannot have it all…”
V. de Espona