Texturologie XXXI

The surface of this canvas is caked with an encrustation of dusty-colored paint. In a series of works he called "Texturologies," Jean Dubuffet reproduced the feel of soil or rubble using unconventional techniques. As he wrote, “I meant to evoke any area of bare ground—preferably esplanade or roadway—seen from above.” The artist shook his paintbrush over the canvas, applying a thick paste of paint sometimes containing sand, gravel, or plaster. He used his fingers and other tools to scrape, scratch, and manipulate the medium.