Jesús Reyes Ferreira (1880-1977), universally known as Chucho Reyes, was one of the most singular and influential artistic personalities of 20th-century Mexico. A self-taught painter, a discerning antiquarian, and a gifted decorator, Reyes defied easy categorization, creating a vibrant body of work that seamlessly blended the spontaneity of folk art with the sophisticated sensibility of modernism. His legendary use of color earned him the affectionate moniker “el brujo del color” (the wizard of color), and his aesthetic vision profoundly impacted renowned figures in Mexican art and architecture.
Guadalajara Roots and Multifaceted Beginnings
Born on October 17, 1880, in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Chucho Reyes came from a cultured family, though his formal artistic training was unconventional. Immersed in an environment where beauty and aesthetics were highly valued, he developed a keen eye for art and design from an early age. His multifaceted career began with roles that immersed him directly in visual culture: assisting in the decoration of churches, designing for high-society events, and working in an artist supply store. Most significantly, he became a prominent antiquarian and collector of Mexican colonial art and folk art. Through his antique shop, he became a pioneer in the 20th-century movement to appreciate these traditional forms, recognizing their profound artistic value.
A charming anecdote encapsulates his artistic genesis: Reyes began painting on sheets of delicate papel de china (tissue paper) to wrap the antiques he sold. These spontaneously decorated “wrappings” became so sought-after that customers soon came not for the antiques, but specifically for Reyes’s vibrant drawings, which then began to be sold as artworks in their own right.
The “Wizard of Color” and a Unique Aesthetic
In 1938, Chucho Reyes moved to Mexico City, where his artistic practice truly blossomed. His style, characterized by its immediate impact and raw emotional power, set him apart from his contemporaries. He became celebrated for his explosive and audacious use of color, which he applied with remarkable intuition and freedom. He often prepared his own gouaches, blending pigments with traditional materials to achieve luminous and unique tones.
Reyes’s works are distinguished by their spontaneous and expressive brushstrokes and fluid lines. Despite their apparent simplicity or “naïve” quality, they possess a profound artistic sophistication. He worked primarily on modest supports such as papel de china or brown paper, a choice that underscored his connection to popular traditions and lent his works an ethereal, almost fleeting quality. He often incorporated gold and silver leaf, adding a rich, ornamental dimension.
His iconic subjects were drawn from the wellspring of Mexican popular culture and his own vivid imagination: majestic roosters (embodying pride and vitality), serene angels, dynamic horses, enigmatic circus figures, and contemplative skulls (often adorned with flowers, a nod to the calaveras of José Guadalupe Posada). He also created expressive still lifes, particularly of vibrant watermelons, and poignant religious figures like Christs and Virgins. Many of his compositions have a theatrical sensibility, sometimes featuring a stage curtain or the phrase “va a empezar la función” (the show will start), inviting the viewer into a performance of life or fantasy.
Influence on Mexican Modernism and Beyond
Chucho Reyes’s influence on Mexican modernism was profound, though often indirect. While he shared the muralists’ admiration for Mexican heritage, his approach was distinct; he translated the essence of Mexican folk art and popular sensibilities into a modern, expressionistic idiom without overt political or social narratives. He captured an authentic “Mexicanness” that was not contrived but seemed to emanate from his very being, as famously noted by David Alfaro Siqueiros: “A folklorist painter? No way! …Jesus Reyes Ferreira is an authentic, great creator of popular root.”
Perhaps his most significant direct impact was on the field of architecture, particularly on the renowned architects Luis Barragán and Mathias Goeritz. Barragán, a close friend and admirer, frequently sought Reyes’s advice on the chromatic palettes for his iconic buildings, leading to the distinctive bold pinks, yellows, and blues that define Barragán’s architectural masterpieces. This collaboration underscores Reyes’s deep understanding of color and its emotional and spatial power. International luminaries like Pablo Picasso and Marc Chagall also recognized his genius, with Chagall reportedly calling him “the Mexican Chagall,” a testament to his inventive force and singular use of color.
Legacy as Collector and Artist
Chucho Reyes passed away on August 6, 1977, in Mexico City, leaving behind a rich and unique artistic legacy. His work is cherished in private collections and prestigious institutions worldwide, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York. He is remembered not only as a brilliant painter but also as a dedicated cultural figure who championed the value of Mexican folk and colonial art. Through his “wizards of color” and his profound connection to the popular imagination, Chucho Reyes remains an enduring symbol of authentic Mexican artistic expression, a bridge between tradition and modernity, and a painter whose works continue to resonate with joyous vitality.