Onclet Waterwheel

Onclet Waterwheel of 1922 represents Mir's mature engagement with a subject that combined landscape, rural industry, and the play of water — all themes central to his Post-Impressionist vision. Waterwheels, or norias, were ubiquitous features of the agricultural landscape of rural Catalonia and the broader Mediterranean, used to lift water for irrigation. Their combination of mechanical movement, water reflection, and surrounding vegetation gave Mir a richly varied visual subject. By 1922 Mir had been painting the Catalan countryside for over two decades and had developed a recognizable personal style: dense, saturated color applied in thick impasto, compositions that prioritize the chromatic sensation of landscape over topographic accuracy. This later work shows the sustained energy and chromatic ambition that characterized his long career. The MNAC holds this alongside other major Mir works, constituting the most comprehensive collection of his painting.

Mir renders the waterwheel and its aquatic environment with thick, mosaic-like paint application. Reflections in the water pool around the wheel provide opportunities for broken color effects typical of his style. Greens, ochres, and blues are applied in dense impasto with little tonal blending.