Windmill 1910

Amadeo de Souza-Cardoso painted this landscape with oil on canvas, using brushes to apply the pigment, and maybe some knives to create texture. The muted tones and hazy atmosphere are characteristic of his landscapes, often evoking a dreamlike quality. But look closer, and you can see how his process relates to broader social issues of labor and the political context. Notice how the artist has rendered a solid form of the windmill atop the mountain using an economy of strokes. The windmill, in its simplicity, represents labor, as a machine intended to perform work on our behalf. Souza-Cardoso seems to be commenting on the relationship between humans and nature, and the way in which we interact with our environment to produce goods. Understanding the materials, making, and context is crucial to appreciating the full meaning of an artwork and challenging traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.