Anónimo, Vista del Castillo de Pau desde el este, siglo XIX // Montgrand, Vista del Castillo de Pau desde el este, ¿siglo XX? Donación de los Amigos del Castillo

Some artists push the boundaries of materials by choosing unusual components, revealing their poetic or unexpected qualities. Contemporary artists demonstrate particular inventiveness in this respect, but their 19th century predecessors paved the way for them.

These distinctive materials situate works within a particular temporality, depending on the durability of the materials from which they are made. Curators and conservators work together to counter deterioration that could accelerate the ageing process of materials and techniques.

In the 19th century, hair was used to make jewellery as a testament to the attachment felt towards the person whose hair was used, whether living or deceased. Two techniques were employed in the making of pictures: hair powder, applied with a brush, and the application of locks of hair. As an incorruptible material, hair was considered a guarantee of durability and thus endowed the work with a particular value.

Straw marquetry has been documented since the 17th century. Using rye straw marquetry craftsmen, religious communities, sailors and convicts developed a modest yet fertile craft that was rarely exhibited. It is, by contrast, more unusual to find painted works on straw, such as the one on display here.