This fantastic etching captures the profound energy of the prehistoric mural paintings at the caves at Altamira, a site of particular interest to Joan Miro. Miro remarked once that “art has done nothing but degenerate” since cave dwellers and he allowed the experience of visiting Altamira have a remarkable effect on Grans Rupestres VI.

This etching’s composition is dominated by sweeping, gestural strokes against a green and eggshell white background. The background’s pattern is reminiscent of stone, very distinctly evoking the stone walls of the cave paintings that this work is inspired by. Cool earthy tones and expressive black brushwork come together to recreate the experience of intensely painted cave walls from thousands of years ago that Miro himself looked at. Expertly placed patche of vivid color, placed between the movement-filled foreground and natural background brings the work firmly into conversation with the modern era. With this minimal but effective wielding of color, Miro brings the evocative black in the foreground into Abstract Expressionist territory. By holding the tension in the way this etching hangs between the prehistoric and Miro’s present-day, this masterful work balances influences from both eras. Miro skillfully utilizes a selective color palette and draws on stylistic choices with purchase in the two disparate time periods and evokes something timeless and deeply human.