MATADORA

Original Mixed Media on Canvas
Artwork: 21 × 15.5 in.
Framed: 28 × 21.5 in.
$1,450 framed

Matadora is a bold meeting of elegance and untamed strength. Draped in brilliant red and perched confidently atop a powerful black bull, the faceless figure raises her glass with an air of mystery, independence and fearless sophistication.

Expressive turquoise drips, sweeping texture and flashes of warm ochre move freely around the figures, while the oversized horns, elongated form and cascading red skirt deliberately blur the line between representation and abstraction. Layers of scraped, broken and gestural marks give the painting the spontaneous energy of abstract expressionism while allowing the woman and bull to remain unmistakable.

Her face is left intentionally undefined, inviting the viewer to imagine her story—and perhaps see a little of themselves in her confidence.

A one-of-a-kind original by Janet Swahn, Matadora is presented in a substantial champagne-toned decorative frame that gives this spirited contemporary piece an elegant finish.