Sóller on the north coast of Mallorca 1905

Santiago Rusiñol painted Sóller on the north coast of Mallorca with oil, probably sometime in the late 19th, early 20th century. The light in this painting, it's all about capturing a specific time of day. The brushstrokes are loose, impressionistic. You get the sense that Rusiñol wasn't trying to capture every detail, but more the feeling of being there, the light on the water, and the shadows under the canopy. The painting is divided, almost like a stage. The way the colors shift from the cool blues and greens of the water to the warm browns and oranges of the architecture, really draws you in. Look at that covered walkway on the right. The shadows are so thick, almost black. They give the painting depth, but they also create a sense of mystery. Then, your eye is drawn back out to the light, the open sea. Rusiñol was part of a wave of artists exploring the Mediterranean light. Think of Joaquín Sorolla, but maybe with a touch more introspection. His paintings aren't just pretty pictures. They are about the experience of seeing, the beauty and the ambiguity of the world.