Gleaners 

Editor: Here we have Rafael Zabaleta's "Gleaners," an oil painting residing here at the Bilbao Fine Arts Museum. The angularity and earthy tones give it a real feeling of groundedness. What stands out to you about its composition and the use of materials? Curator: For me, this piece immediately highlights the physicality of rural labour. Zabaleta’s use of oil paint, applied so thickly and expressively, underscores the weightiness of these women's work. Consider the materiality: oil paint, derived from plant-based oils, used to depict figures intimately tied to the land and its bounty. It’s a direct connection. What does it suggest about the relationship between the artist and his subject? Editor: That’s a good point about the material connecting to the theme. It's almost like he's using the very earth they work with to depict them. Is that a common thread in Expressionism, to emphasize materials so overtly? Curator: Often, yes. Expressionism frequently foregrounds the artist's hand, the act of making. But with Zabaleta, I see a commentary on social class and the economics of rural Spain. The raw, unidealized portrayal of these women, the lack of adornment, forces us to confront their reality. What do you make of the figure with a child, does it affect your interpretation of the manual labor? Editor: The child being there brings in such complexity. There's this inherent vulnerability contrasted with the strength that's conveyed by the other figures. It highlights not only the physical demands of their work but the social pressures of motherhood. Curator: Precisely. And the stark geometric shapes? Do they simply reflect an aesthetic choice or are they related to the division of land, and labour in agriculture? Editor: Wow, I hadn’t considered that. I was just seeing the geometric style as expressionistic and stylistic but your emphasis on the materiality makes me rethink everything, how these artistic choices reflect socioeconomic issues! Curator: Indeed! And, perhaps, make us ponder the role of art in unveiling these realities.