Marché 1965

Emilio Grau Sala painted this scene of a market, presumably in France, with oil on canvas, though when is anyone’s guess. Grau Sala was a Catalan artist, working in the tradition of the Impressionists, and there's a real buzz of activity here, caught with short, choppy strokes of paint. Look closely and you'll see how the vibrant reds and yellows of the fruit contrast against the cool greens of the stalls and foliage. The paint is applied thickly, giving the surface a tactile quality. It makes you want to run your fingers over it. Notice that small detail near the bottom left: is it a basket, or a crate? It doesn't quite resolve into a clear form, and I love that ambiguity. It feels like the artist is inviting us to fill in the gaps, to participate in the act of seeing. I'm reminded of Bonnard, who also had a knack for capturing the fleeting moments of everyday life. Grau Sala's work is a reminder that painting is always a conversation, an ongoing exchange of ideas across time.