Le petit déjeuner 1957

Emilio Grau Sala made this painting, "Le petit déjeuner", using oil paint in loose brushstrokes that give the whole scene a kind of shimmering energy. It feels like you’re catching a glimpse of a private, everyday moment. Look at how the paint is applied, thick in some areas, like the child’s hair, and thin in others, almost transparent in the background. The palette feels joyful but slightly dissonant, with the yellows and greens sitting against the purples and reds. It’s a domestic scene, but also something a bit weirder – the shapes feel almost Fauvist with the simplified planes of colour. See how the artist repeats certain gestural marks throughout the composition? Notice the curved strokes defining the figures echo the leaves in the background. Grau Sala’s work reminds me a little of Bonnard; that same feeling of intimacy and off-kilter color. These artists show how painting isn't about capturing reality perfectly, it’s about creating a world, or a feeling, on canvas.