Carpet Sellers 

Giulio Rosati painted 'Carpet Sellers' using watercolor, a medium often associated with preparatory sketches rather than finished artworks. The painting captures a market scene where carpets are being presented. While Rosati renders the architectural space with loose washes, the carpets are carefully detailed. These textiles, likely made of wool or silk, acquire their cultural significance from the immense labor invested in their production. The carpet's intricate patterns and rich colours required skilled weavers, dyers, and designers, reflecting a complex social context rooted in centuries-old traditions. Note how Rosati’s watercolor technique contrasts with the carpets’ meticulous manufacture. His rapid, fluid strokes stand in contrast to the slow, deliberate process of carpet weaving. By drawing our attention to both the representation of craft and its artistic interpretation, Rosati invites us to consider how artistic practices intersect with broader economies of labor, skill, and value.