Contentment 

Vicente Romero painted this piece, called Contentment, using oil on canvas, a traditional medium that has been around for centuries. But think about the materiality of oil paint itself. It's made of pigment, often minerals mined from the earth or synthesized in a lab, combined with linseed oil, extracted from flax seeds. The process of grinding pigment and mixing it with oil is labor-intensive and requires skill. Romero’s technique is remarkable. You can see in the way the light filters through the sheer curtains, the delicate folds of the fabric, and the soft curves of the woman's body. There's a real emphasis on craft in his handling of the brushstrokes. In doing so, the artist engages with a long history of creative practice rooted in aesthetic beauty. In turn, a painting such as this prompts us to think about artmaking and the labor, politics, and consumption involved in its production. By understanding the materials, processes, and social context behind this work, we can appreciate its full meaning.