Portrait of a Lady 1870s

Adolphe Monticelli painted this portrait with oil on canvas in the 19th century. Up close, you can see how Monticelli used the buttery texture of oil paint to its full potential. Notice the thick impasto, almost sculptural in places, particularly in the dress, chair, and background. This layering of paint gives the surface a palpable energy. The way Monticelli applied the paint—in short, energetic strokes—was very deliberate. It's as though he’s capturing not just the appearance of the sitter, but also the very act of painting itself. This emphasis on process is something we see more and more as painting moves towards abstraction. Ultimately, a work like this asks us to consider not only the subject, but also the material qualities of paint and the skill that it takes to transform it into an image. It blurs the lines between representation and abstraction, inviting us to appreciate the making as much as the subject.