Santo 1936

Maude Valle painted this Santo using watercolor on wood sometime between 1855 and 1995. The grain of the wood is not only visible, but actively engaged in the composition. Look closely, and you can see the artist has used watercolor in such a way that it doesn't obscure the texture of the wood. Valle has employed traditional art materials in an unconventional way. She has deliberately used the wood to suggest its own inherent qualities of texture and form, and the effect is a sense of warmth. While the figures in the painting appear religious, the mode of production challenges these distinctions between high art and craft. It's a painting, but it's also an object. It prompts us to consider the social and cultural significance of the artwork, the skills required to produce it, and the labor involved in the production process. Ultimately, it challenges our traditional understanding of art.