Bath, Berkeley Place 

Telemaco Signorini painted Bath, Berkeley Place, using oil on panel. The thick application of paint not only captures light, but also the density of materials and labor. Signorini was part of the Macchiaioli movement, who opposed academic conventions. They often painted landscapes en plein air, and were interested in capturing the essence of a scene through light and color, in a way that anticipated the impressionists. But they weren't just interested in surface appearances; they also showed the changing face of Italy in the Industrial age, which involved a great amount of labor and materials. In 'Bath, Berkeley Place' the artist's brushstrokes create a sense of place, and remind us of the social realities of the era. Through his technique of applying paint he conveys how places were changing with industrial materials and the rise of a new social order. Signorini's work invites us to think about the relationship between artistic expression, material transformation, and social change. It challenges traditional views of fine art, by reminding us of the vital role of both labor and materials in shaping our world.