New Mexico Back-Painted Tin Frame Mirror by Robert Woodman [SOLD]

Robert Woodman (1908-1983) was an extraordinary artist in forming frames in tinwork with back-painted glass. Woodman was a Santa Fe master tinsmith, or hojalatero, famous for his tin frames, known as marcos.  

This work of art was probably made in the mid-twentieth century by Woodman.  The hand-cut, punched, and stamped tin corners add a flair to the more floral design that was hand painted in reverse on the back of the glass of the four panels surrounding the mirror.

“The decorative tin light fixtures illuminating the buildings of Los Poblanos (in Albuquerque) are examples of tinsmith Robert Woodman’s finest work. Woodman was part of the Spanish Pueblo Revival movement during the WPA period, which sought to perpetuate New Mexico’s unique craft of Hispanic religious decorative tinwork. He frequently collaborated with John Gaw Meem in designing fixtures for some of New Mexico’s most famous buildings, including Zimmerman Library at UNM and La Fonda Hotel in Santa Fe. [Website of Los Poblanos historic inn in Albuquerque]

In tracing the history of this framed mirror, Adobe Gallery found a significant amount of information on Woodman.  Following his death in 1983, a Santa Fe dealer accepted the entire Woodman estate of hundreds of items, including the artist’s home on Upper Canyon Road where the artist had lived and worked since the early 1930s.  Woodman was an engineer as well as an artist, an attribute to the precise detail and finish of his tin works.  We have been told that his soldered joints are as perfect as could be executed.  Woodman’s mother did most of the reverse glass painting for him.  Her painting was exceptional, as was his work.  

This framed mirror was part of the estate and was sold from the estate to the current owners, over 40 years ago, so there is no doubting the authenticity of this piece even though it is not signed.  He rarely signed his work, we were told.

Adobe Gallery wants to give thanks to former gallery owner Ray Dewey and to Maurice Dixon of Santa Fe for providing us with the information presented here.  We must admit that we were not familiar with Robert Woodman and his tinwork.  We have learned a lot about him now and are appreciative of the assistance we received from those two gentlemen.  We also are appreciative of the work of Woodman and are happy to have been introduced to his art.

Condition: this New Mexico Back-Painted Tin Frame Mirror by Robert Woodman is in excellent original condition

Provenance: from the collection of a family from Colorado.  See more details in the write up above.