Groupe de bohémiennes en forêt 

Narcisse-Virgilio Diaz created this work with oil paint applied to canvas, a common practice in his time. But look closer, and you’ll notice his distinctive application of impasto, a technique that involves building up thick layers of paint to create a textured surface. Diaz's approach adds depth and luminosity to the painting. The choice of materials and process wasn’t accidental. Diaz sought to convey the richness of his figures’ costumes, and the wildness of their setting. This aligned with a broader movement of Romanticism, which emphasized emotion and individualism. Yet at the same time, it is important to recognize the romanticized depiction of Roma people in this artwork, which flattens cultural nuance into a kind of aesthetic cliché. By focusing on the materiality and making of this artwork, we gain insight into both Diaz's artistic choices, and the cultural context in which he was working. It challenges us to consider the social implications embedded within traditional art forms.