El Valle, Soller 

Santiago Rusiñol created "El Valle, Soller" with oil on canvas, employing a technique rooted in the late 19th-century painting tradition. Rusiñol masterfully manipulates the viscosity and texture of oil paints, using visible brushstrokes to capture the light and shadows playing across the landscape. The layering of paint creates depth, inviting viewers into the vista of Soller. The choice of oil paint allows for a rich color palette, from the deep blues of the mountains to the vibrant greens of the valley. This wasn't just a technical exercise, it was a deliberate aesthetic choice. The post-impressionist painters who Rusiñol emulated saw the everyday world through a lens of production and consumption. His artistic practice, while appearing traditional, was in dialogue with contemporary debates about labor and the changing landscapes of Europe. Understanding "El Valle, Soller" requires an appreciation for the materials and the artist's hand, challenging the notion of painting being separate from the world of work.