Mother

This is a late work by the artist Juan Manuel Ugarte Eléspuru. With this painting, the artist returned to representational art and the influence of the Mexican muralism of the first half of the 20th century.
Against an undefined background, we see a mother and her child, their faces shown in profile, dressed in typical Andean clothing. Hunched over and robust, she rests her hands gently on the small boy’s shoulders, as he stands upright, seemingly resolved to embark upon the paths that await him in life.
The solid form of the woman’s body raises the possibility that the artist wanted to associate this maternal figure with a mountain, or to evoke Pachamama, the giver of life in Andean culture. The former notion is reinforced by the earthy tones employed by the painter.