The artwork titled “Cold” was created by Remedios Varo in 1948. It is a gouache painting on cardboard that belongs to the Surrealism movement and is categorized under symbolic painting. “Cold” reflects the innovative style and imaginative themes characteristic of Varo’s work, where she often delved into fantastical narratives and dreamlike scenarios.
The artwork depicts a haunting scene where a central, skeletal-like figure with an elongated, bird-like head and human-like arms is seated atop what appears to be a geometric ice crystal or diamond shape. The figure is draped in a flowing robe, and there is a sense of motion conveyed by the dynamic lines emanating from the artifact upon which it is perched, suggesting it is swiftly cutting through the air. Below, a wintery landscape unfurls, with bare, spindly trees and scattered houses painted in muted colors that reinforce the cold atmosphere. From the lower portion of the crystal form, a shower of smaller crystals or perhaps snowflakes falls toward the ground, further reinforcing the icy theme of the painting. The use of light and shadow, along with the dramatic juxtaposition of the ethereal figure against the stark landscape, encapsulates Varo’s surreal and psychologically complex vision.
