Portrait of Juanita Obrador 1918

Joan Miró painted this portrait of Juanita Obrador with oil on canvas, and I bet he had a blast doing it. Just look at those bold lines and how the colours pop – the pink cheeks, the red nose, and that little pink flower pinned to her striped top. You can almost feel Miró experimenting, trying out different ways of seeing and showing us what he sees. I imagine him standing in front of the canvas, brush in hand, maybe a little unsure, but definitely curious, because the background pattern isn’t quite aligned with the sitter, is it? It’s as if he is inviting us to play along with him, mixing up reality and imagination. I love that awkwardness; it reminds me that painting is a kind of conversation among artists across time. It’s about trying things out, seeing what happens, and inspiring others to do the same.