Mexican Kitchen

Jean Charlot

One of Jean Charlot's recurring themes, throughout his time in Mexico and later Hawaii, was that of a young child under the watchful care of its mother. In "Prize Prints..." Charlot commented about this image: "The interest centers around the pot of beans cooking over a charcoal fire. While the mother is stirring the beans with a wooden spoon, the little girl is fanning the fire with a fan of woven straw, and the dog enjoys the warmth. It is a scene I have treated a number of times in different mediums."

After moving to Mexico with his mother in 1921 from France Charlot became an important figure in developing Mexican printmaking. He spent 1944 to 47 in the United States and became instrumental in helping promote Mexican printmaking to both a Mexican and U.S. audience.

Charlot's work is sometimes described as Mayan in origin, he spent three years in the Yucatan and he stated his work was "a re-creation in terms of living Mayas. It must be understood that it is not only the works of art that remain of the ancient Maya culture, but also the living people of this race, their present customs and attitudes..."

This impression was published by Associated American Artists in New York who, in the 1940s, was working to introduce Mexican prints to the United States. In the case of this image they worked with printer José Sanchez at the Taller de Grafica Popular in Mexico City.