Wild Dog - also called Chacal (Jackal) - from the Mexican Masters suite

Rufino Tamayo

The wild dog is part of the Hispanic folklore, from the "Chupacabra" to the coyote, the Mexican Hairless (Xoloitzcuintli), sometimes called the "Mexican Jackal", the Mexican Gray Wolf and the Coywolf. The subject was one that Tamayo returned to throughout his career - the dog howling at the moon or bearing its teeth. This wild dog wears a spiked collar, indicating it has been captured and is being used by humans for protection.

This image, also called "Chacal" or "Jackel" was included in the "Mexican Masters Suite", published and printed by Editions Press, San Francisco, California under the direction of master printer Ernest F. de Soto. Included in the suite were eight lithographs, two prints per artist, by Tamayo, Jose Luis Cuevas, David Alfaro Siqueiros, and Francisco Zuniga.

The published edition consists of 100 proofs on Arches paper, numbered 1/100 - 100/100, plus a Bon a Tirer and 3 printer's proofs; a deluxe edition of 25 impressions, numbered I/XXV - XXV/XXV on German Etching paper and 25 Hors Commerce proofs, numbered 1/25 - 25/25 plus 8 Edition Press Artist's Proofs. The image was printed using lithographic stones, which were defaced.

Rufino Tamayo used 4 stones to print 4 colors; orange, green, red and black, in that order. Tamayo drew on the stones with lithographic crayons, liquid tusche, diluted tusche washes and created subtractive textures with an eraser and scraping instruments.

This artist's proof impression is from the collection of P.J. Gallagher, who was one of the partners in Editions Press.