Object with Number 1

<p>Joaquín Torres-García is a critical figure in the history of modern Latin American art, celebrated for his introduction of Constructivist aesthetics as a natural, indigenous language. In 1926 he settled in Paris, where he formulated the key principles of what he called Constructive Universalism. His <em>maderas</em> (wood pieces) ran counter to the prevailing notions of sculpture as well as abstraction at the time but played an important role in his work. <em>Object with Number 1</em> suggests both an architectural and human form; indeed, the number 1 painted at the top reflects his theories about the unity of the individual and the cosmos.</p>