Florida Mexicana, Alfredo Ramos Martinez, 1936 by Atelier Liesjes

Florida Mexicana depicts an indigenous Mexican woman offering a large bowl of vibrant flowers. Alfredo Ramos Martínez balances sculptural form with a focus on pattern and color to create an image that is both modern and retrospective. Despite being painted in 1936 at the height of the Great Depression, in the midst of the Dust Bowl, Ramos Martínez offers an idyllic scene of abundant nature. The woman becomes an allegorical symbol of spring, new life and hope.

Florida Mexicana was painted after Ramos Martínez immigrated to California. His style is inspired by Mesoamerican art and his knowledge of early 20th century French painting, such as that of Paul Gauguin, which he gained through studies in Paris.

Alfredo Ramos Martínez (Nov. 12, 1871 - Nov. 8, 1946) was a painter, muralist and educator who lived and worked in Mexico, Paris and Los Angeles. Considered by many as the "father of Mexican modernism," Ramos Martínez is best known for his serene and empathetic paintings of traditional Mexican people and scenes. As famous Nicaraguan poet Rubén Darío wrote: "Ramos Martínez is one of those who paints poetry; he does not copy, he interprets; he understands how to express sorrow and melancholy.