Waiting for customers 

Editor: So, we're looking at "Waiting for Customers" by Santiago Rusiñol, an oil painting, presumably from the late 19th century. There’s such a feeling of anticipation… everyone is just waiting. What stands out to you about this piece? Curator: Well, consider the production itself. Rusiñol chose oil paint. This medium allows for layering and blending, which helps create a sense of depth. Think about the labor involved in preparing the canvas, mixing the paints… Do you see how these materials, likely manufactured in an industrialized setting, contrast with the leisured activity depicted? Editor: Yes, that's interesting. So you’re saying the *making* of the artwork reflects broader changes in society at the time? Curator: Precisely! Look at the subjects' clothing; the fabrics, the tailoring, the dye, all point towards consumerism taking hold. The figures may be “waiting for customers,” but Rusiñol’s audience were consumers *themselves*. How does knowing that shape your view? Editor: It adds another layer – a sense of… everyone playing their part in this economic machine. And the artist too, participating through his creation. The painting then becomes part of a wider economic system of production. Curator: Exactly! We can interpret the work by situating it within a historical materialist context. Considering the role of labor, industry, and the rise of the consumer market sheds light on the artist's intentions. How might a different choice of materials—say, watercolour or fresco—have altered that reading? Editor: It would definitely change the connotation. Watercolors, for example, might lessen the industrial feel. I see your point. Focusing on these aspects can reveal a lot. Curator: It does. Examining materiality encourages a new conversation with familiar artworks.