Tortillas and Lullabies/Tortillas y Cancioncitas by Lynn Reiser; Pictures by Corazones Valientes |
Through shape: Many of the shapes in this illustration give it a distinctly Latin American look. The women's oval eyes, arched eyebrows, and widely ranging skin tones are typical of Latin American folk art. Further, the flowers they hold look like some species that commonly grown in Central America, due to the shape of their petals (as well as their colors).
Through background images: The portrait
backgrounds show scenes commonly associated with Costa Rica. First, in the top
left portrait, there are volcano-shaped mountains in the background. Volcanoes
are often associated with Costa Rica, and Costa Rica's volcanoes are a source of
pride to many of its denizens. Next, the background of the top right portrait is
painted in the lush green of the Central American rainforests. The background of
the bottom left portrait shows a room found in many Latin American homes, the
courtyard, or patio, with tiled floors and a roof (not shown in the
illustration) but no walls. Finally, the background of the bottom right portrait
is a possible allusion to volcanoes, in this case through the colors of the sky
during an eruption.
Through style: The style of this
illustration is clearly Latin American folk art. Many characteristics of the
picture identify it as such: the bright, rich tones; the juxtaposition of
sharply contrasting colors; the idealized appearances of the figures, with
rounded joints and simplified facial features; the geometric flower motif; the
largely planar quality of space, etc. Indeed, the style is so vividly Latin
American that (as explained in the author's note) "When Isabel [the author's El
Salvadoran friend who inspired the author to write the text] saw the paintings,
they reminded her so much of home that she began to cry."
