Young Man In Black, Girl In White 1919

Nils Dardel made this painting of a young man in black and a girl in white in 1919, probably using oils. The piece uses these flat, almost theatrical colors, but then look closely at the tree. There’s real effort there to model it, to describe the light as it hits the trunk. And there is something so touching in this contrast between the solid figures and the softly painted tree. The mark making is loose and lively, but it also feels like Dardel is using the paint almost like a stage set. The boat, with its single sail, becomes a poignant symbol for a sense of longing. It’s like he is not only making a picture but also setting a scene. I see echoes of Edvard Munch here, in the emotional intensity and the slightly unsettling atmosphere. But Dardel has his own quirky, theatrical style, a little rough around the edges, but so full of feeling! It's proof that art is a conversation through time.