Self Portrait 2018

Luis Álvarez Roure made this self-portrait with oil paint on canvas. While oil paint may seem like a traditional material, its history actually intersects with commerce and capitalism. The binding agent for the pigment is oil, often linseed oil, which is extracted from flax seeds through mechanical pressing. The rise of oil painting coincided with the Industrial Revolution, as advancements in milling technology allowed for mass production, and distribution of prepared paints. Roure’s handling of the paint seems quite spontaneous, with gestural marks and areas of thin application alongside passages of careful modeling, as in the face. This gives the work a feeling of immediacy, as though it was painted in a single sitting. Ultimately, Álvarez Roure’s self-portrait reminds us that even the most seemingly straightforward artistic techniques, like oil painting, have complex histories tied to labor, commerce, and technological innovation. By understanding these connections, we can gain a deeper appreciation for the choices artists make and how these choices reflect broader social and cultural forces.