Vista Del Palacio Real De Madrid 1854

Curator: Here we have Jenaro Pérez Villaamil's "Vista Del Palacio Real De Madrid" from 1854, an oil-on-canvas depiction of Madrid's Royal Palace in its bustling environment. Editor: Well, it’s lovely! There's almost a dreamlike quality to it. It makes me feel like I’m seeing Madrid through a softly filtered lens. The way the light dances…it's very romantic. Curator: Precisely. Villaamil's Realism does tend to embrace Romantic ideals; although it is of its time, this plein-air piece offers an almost hyper-realistic depiction of materials used for construction and garments worn, hinting to how each shaped people’s existence and perceptions. Look at the stone – each block precisely rendered, the way it catches the sun is beautiful. Editor: I am looking – those carriages. So what would it be like to actually produce one, or make clothing worthy of wearing near the palace grounds. Each has its labor, not just luxury items ready-made for consumer appetites. These materials and items carry immense social weight. And those layers of paint – thick enough to feel the artist's hand, the sun, as he was painting on location. Curator: The layers bring history to life, a palpable link to a Madrid long gone. Do you think of how plein-air captures that elusive feeling of immediacy? Villaamil captures that energy... And I think, perhaps, these material conditions point toward the essence of being a Royal subject at the time: so near, but so far. The clothing, like the palace structure, dictates one’s being to an extent. Editor: It’s certainly a captivating window into 19th-century Madrid, and seeing the palace alongside everyday lives really gives depth. These material realities make up the dreams the artist captures with his paint and canvas. Thanks to that technique we can imagine all its social possibilities. Curator: Absolutely, by exploring the art making processes, like the canvas weave under layers of pigments, alongside such architectural feats, we connect with the individuals who conceived and used these elements. It provides a richer view of existence at the time. Editor: I agree, by considering both materiality and its effect upon dreams and ideals, this work by Villaamil brings historical analysis full circle.