Esboço para o velório - Boceto para el velorio - Sketch for the wake 1893

Francisco Oller's unfinished oil on canvas, "Sketch for the Wake," presents a raw and expressive glimpse into a scene of mourning. The somber palette, dominated by earth tones and shadowy grays, evokes a sense of grief and solemnity. The composition is fragmented, with figures emerging from the background as if caught between presence and absence. Note how Oller uses loose brushstrokes to define the forms, heightening the emotional intensity of the scene. This approach captures a sense of immediacy, as if the viewer is intruding upon a private moment of collective sorrow. The figures, rendered with a stark realism, each embody a different facet of mourning, from quiet contemplation to frenzied release. It challenges established norms of representation by focusing on the emotional and social complexities of the wake. Oller captures the nuances of human experience.