Study for the Viatic 1895

Joan Brull created this study for the Viatic using oil on canvas. The texture comes alive through visible brushstrokes. Brull has captured a modest bedroom, dominated by a large wooden bed. The oil paint is applied in thick layers, which create a tactile surface and evoke a sense of the room's atmosphere. The artist uses the material qualities of paint to simulate the rough texture of the walls and the soft texture of the bed linen, with the visible brushstrokes animating the canvas. Brull’s technique reflects the tradition of realist painting but also shows an awareness of the impressionistic trend in the late 19th century, but through the materiality, the painting also speaks of the everyday lives of the working class. The painting's modest subject matter and visible brushstrokes challenge traditional hierarchies between fine art and craft. It elevates the everyday and emphasizes the role of the artist's hand in creating meaning.