Puffer Portraits: Contemporary Baroque Paintings by Nieves González

Nieves González creates her portraits from the vocabulary of 17th-century Spanish painting, then dresses her subjects in something the figures painted by El Greco or Velázquez would never have worn: glossy, oversized puffer coats. The Spanish artist draws heavily from Baroque traditions, particularly the dramatic lighting, solemn poses and religious imagery.

In Nieves’ hands, elaborate robes and historical costumes give way to voluminous parkas, vibrant sportswear and flashes of animal print. Their exaggerated forms envelop her figures, while the synthetic fabrics catch the light much like satin or silk in an Old Master portrait. Against dark backgrounds, brilliant pinks, reds, yellows and blues become even more striking. Long hair, flowers, animals and carefully arranged groups of women add another layer of symbolism, sometimes recalling religious tableaux or aristocratic portraiture.

For more of Nieves González’s captivating work, visit her website and Instagram.

More art on the grid via Colossal