The children of the painter, Maria Lluïsa i Marià, in the Japanese salon 

Curator: Mariano Fortuny i Marsal gives us a peek into his family life with "The children of the painter, Maria Lluïsa i Marià, in the Japanese salon," rendered in oil paint. What strikes you initially? Editor: The textures are quite vibrant. I see a palpable materiality in the brushstrokes. The fabrics especially seem almost sculptural due to the impasto. You get a real sense of the artist's physical interaction with the paint. Curator: Absolutely, but consider what that layering evokes, symbolically. The “Japanese salon” is layered in itself, filled with symbolic meaning from an outside culture. These were luxury items in the nineteenth century and stand for how art transcends cultural limits, not only portraying reality but shaping its symbolism. What does that act mean in colonial terms? Editor: It's also interesting how that material indulgence speaks to labor itself. I wonder about the economic dynamics inherent in constructing such a lavish interior. This type of room needs very expensive decorations. The room and their placement also create a sense of staging that hides labour, class, and history behind domestic display and visual spectacle. Curator: Yes, because of the artist's decisions about what he is capturing! Those luxurious oriental imports served not only an aesthetic purpose but reflected a global network of power and consumption that continues to have long-lasting impact. I think the placement of the fan speaks very openly about all the weight we have talked about! Editor: Exactly! The choice of using oil paint, too, plays a role. Oil allows for those rich textures but also historically served to ennoble the sitter. In this case it elevate a familiar and everyday scene, bringing dignity into family scenes through making a space and subject out of it to admire in public displays. Curator: Thinking about the impact today, the layers within Fortuny’s piece offer insights into both the visible surface and the socio-political implications that shaped artistic expression then and art making even today. Editor: A fascinating dance between the artist's hand, historical forces, and enduring visual power.