Caravan in the desert 1934

Romualdo Locatelli painted this Caravan in the Desert with what looks like oil paint, building up the scene in layers of sandy yellows, browns, and creams. The artmaking process here is all about immediacy, catching a fleeting moment. Looking at the painting, you can see how Locatelli uses the paint thinly, almost like a wash, letting the texture of the canvas come through. Then, he adds thicker strokes to define the camels and figures, creating a sense of movement. The way he's flicking the brush, especially in the foreground, makes the sand seem to swirl and shift, almost as if you can feel the heat shimmering off the dunes. The whole painting has this kind of dry, dusty feeling that gets in your throat just looking at it. This piece reminds me a little of Eugène Delacroix, especially his orientalist paintings, but Locatelli's got this looser, more immediate feel. Ultimately, art isn't about nailing down one "right" way to see things; it's about opening up different possibilities.