A Patio in Granada 1873

Editor: Mariano Fortuny’s “A Patio in Granada” at the Harvard Art Museums. The texture is so rich, almost sculptural in places. What can you tell me about the making of this piece? Curator: Fortuny clearly delights in the materiality of paint itself. Notice how he uses thick impasto to capture the rough texture of the walls and the dirt underfoot. This emphasis on the physical properties of the paint challenges the traditional hierarchy that favors illusionism. Editor: So, it's less about depicting Granada and more about… paint? Curator: It’s about both! Consider the labor involved in extracting and processing pigments, the social context of 19th-century Orientalism that made Granada an exotic subject for European artists. Fortuny’s focus on the materiality of his medium brings these elements to the fore. Editor: Interesting. I hadn't thought about the social context embedded within the brushstrokes themselves! Curator: Precisely.