José María Sert - The matchmaker (1932)
In just one year, 1932, he completed the frescoes in the chapel of the Liria Palace in Madrid, ceilings for the Celedonio Pereda residence in Buenos Aires, and a series of cartoons for tapestries commissioned by the Gobelins manufactory in Paris, only two of which were actually made. The matchmaker was one of this group, which comprised projects for overdoors or door hangings. The subjects of the series were all drawn from picaresque novels and featured figures regularly found in the artist’s work. The scene takes place in an interior lined with wallpaper. In front of a heavy hanging, a massive vase full of flowers stands on a piece of furniture. The protagonists’ unambiguous gestures make the scene clear: a smiling old man holds his hand out to the frightened young girl, while the matchmaker holds on to her, attempting to push her towards the man. Two young women watching the scene react in very different ways: one looks at the man with contempt, the other is amused by her companion’s vain resistance. The figures and the body language are recurrent features in the artist’s work: the woman with her hands on her hips conveys indifference, while the young woman at the centre of the drama is violently pushing the matchmaker away, her face contorted with fear and disgust. Frontally lit, the scene takes place on a small dais, further accentuating the theatrical impression created in this work. (source)
