VIEWING ROOM "CRISTINA"

"Women" Series

If the figure of the young woman has been a recurring muse for idealized beauty, the representation of the older woman in art offers a much richer and more complex narrative. Unlike idealization, the portrait of the elderly woman, the grandmother, or the matriarch has historically been a vehicle for exploring themes such as wisdom, experience, dignity, vulnerability, and the inevitable march of time. It's a kind of painting that doesn't seek perfection, but truth.

Historically, the older woman has been portrayed in very specific roles. In the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, she often appeared as a religious figure, such as Saint Anne (Jesus's grandmother) or in scenes of the Holy Family. Her role was secondary but essential, symbolizing piety and tradition.

It was in the Baroque period, with artists like Rembrandt, that the older woman acquired an unusual prominence. In his portraits of elderly women, Rembrandt didn't focus on the richness of their clothes or their social status, but on the depth of their faces. Each wrinkle, each line of expression, was a testament to a life lived. Works like the portrait of his mother or his famous An Old Woman Seated are studies of an honesty and compassion that transcended mere physical representation.

In the contemporary context of the works that follow, they are distinguished by an approach that rescues and elevates the dignity of the older woman. As with the portraits of young women, the hyperrealistic technique allows for the capture of every detail of the face and body, but in this case, every detail tells a story.

These portraits of older women are not simply portraits; they are studies of the human experience. The textures of the skin and the gray hairs that frame the face are not marks of decline but seals of a life well-lived. They are represented with an honesty and intimacy that invites the viewer to contemplate the beauty that resides in maturity. The models are not objects of pity but subjects of admiration and respect.

Stripped of any stereotype, the love of a faithful representation gives them a strength that forces us to look beyond the surface and recognize that beauty belongs not to youth, but to life and reality.

–Javier Arizabalo