Roberto De La Selva, At The Fair

There are so many works of arts that speak to an individual and grabs their attention. I wanted to choose a work of art that meant something to me personally. I wanted to write about a piece that reminded me of my childhood and the town I grew up in. Originally from El Paso Texas, I grew up in a mostly Hispanic culture with deep roots tied to Hispanic heritage. When I came across this piece it reminded of all the special events from my childhood that celebrated the culture and it brought back a lot of good memories for me. The piece I chose is by Roberto De La Selva, At the fair (En la feria), 1934. The piece is made of wood, polychromed white mahogany. It is 59 inches high and 47 inches wide. The piece is housed at the San Antonio Museum of Art.
In the background of the piece there is a woman holding a dead chicken with a bowl of what looks like possibly fruit on her head. In front of her is a child standing with her back from the viewer and is holding a basket of fruit that she seems to be presenting to the woman with the chicken. Front center of the piece is a couple. The man seems to be trying to lead the woman somewhere. She stands in front of him with her back turned away from him and has her hand placed over her chest. The expression on her face seems to express some sadness for something. Far right of the piece in the background is a group of three people, two women and a man who seem to be having a pleasant conversation among themselves. One of the women has her back turned away from the viewer of the piece and is holding a bundle of chili