Eduardo Morillas (1932-2021) - Chefchaouen: The Medina

- Oil on canvas. - This painting by Eduardo Morillas, with an orientalist theme, offers us a fascinating view of the Rif city of Chefchaouen, a picturesque corner of the medina, where the serenity of tradition and the speed of the modern brushstroke merge. In this work, Morillas captures a moment suspended in time, in which two characters, dressed in traditional djellabas, slide into a narrow alley flanked by white walls that reflect the characteristic luminosity of the city. The predominant tones, which tend towards white, create a diaphanous atmosphere, where the glow of light seems to radiate from the walls themselves, bathing the environment in an almost spiritual serenity. The contrast between the white and the subtle shadows adds an ethereal dimension to the scene, inviting the viewer to enter the calm of the medina without the need for excessive details. Morillas, through an almost monochrome palette, accentuates the purity of the architectural space, using color to express not only the physical aspect of the city, but also its cultural essence and unique atmosphere. The composition is remarkably dynamic, despite its apparent calm. Morillas' quick and decisive brushstrokes give a sense of movement that contrasts with the stillness of the landscape. The rapid, almost gestural application of paint emphasizes the spontaneity of the moment, while the figures of the characters, as they walk along the alley, seem to blend naturally into their surroundings. The lines of the chilabas, with their fluid lines, blend into the space, as if the painting itself were in constant transformation. In the background, the minaret of the mosque, which emerges from the narrow alleys, adds a vertical dimension to the scene, serving as a vanishing point and a cultural and spiritual reference. The minaret, although simplified in its form, remains a central symbol of the city, a silent presence that seems to watch over and structure the daily life that takes place in the narrow streets. Morillas, faithful to his orientalist style, does not seek a literal representation of Chefchaouen; rather, it is an emotional interpretation of the place, where light, color and form intertwine to convey the calm and slow rhythm of life in the medina. His painting, marked by the speed of the brushstrokes and the economy of resources, invites us to immerse ourselves in an idealized vision of the city, through a contemporary perspective that, without renouncing classical orientalism, breathes a fresh and modern air. - Dimensions of the unframed image: 103 x 73 cm / 118 x 87 cm with beautiful frame.