A Man from Saltillo in the State of Coahuila, from the portfolio Trajes Regionales Mexicanos (Regional Mexican Dress) (plate 2), 1945. Carlos Mérida. Silkscreen. The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1946. © 2024 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / SOMAAP, Mexico City.
Carlos Mérida was a Guatemalan artist who was instrumental in fusing European modernist painting with Latin American themes. He first travelled to Europe in 1910 where he encountered avant garde movements and the work of Picasso, Modigliani, Mondrian, Klee amongst others. He also became involved with Mexican artists who also spent time in Europe, such as Diego Rivera and Dr Atl (Gerardo Murillo). Mérida is best known for his murals and paintings, but the present series reveal his ability as a printmaker and his commitment to exploring indigenous subjects.