Untitled 

This painting, by Antonio Bueno, is made using traditional materials: oil paint on canvas. But, here, the oil paint has been applied with unusual precision. Notice the smooth, almost porcelain-like skin, contrasting with the coarser texture of the background. It gives the work an odd, almost unsettling feel. The girl’s sailor suit, a symbol of childhood innocence and play, is also rendered with meticulous care. Bueno was working in the mid-20th century when many artists were turning to abstraction and new materials. But he chose to embrace traditional techniques. Perhaps he wanted to highlight the artifice of painting itself, the way that even the most realistic image is still a constructed object. By focusing on the materials and processes used, we can see how the work challenges our expectations of both portraiture and painting. It makes us consider the labor and skill involved in creating such a precise image, as well as the social and cultural meanings embedded within its seemingly simple form.