Bust of a woman 1928

Nikola Martinoski’s oil painting, *Bust of a Woman*, presents us with a portrait rendered in earthy tones, dominated by greens, browns, and pinks. The textured brushstrokes give the surface a tactile quality, almost as if the paint itself is sculpting the woman's features. The composition is structured around the subject’s profile, which is sharply defined against the blurred background. Martinoski’s use of colour is particularly striking, where he employs a range of tones to create depth and volume. The play of light and shadow across the woman's face draws attention to her expression, a gaze directed away from the viewer. Martinoski was part of a broader modernist movement that sought to challenge traditional modes of representation. Here, he destabilizes the conventional portrait by focusing on the materiality of the paint and the expressiveness of the form. This emphasis on the formal elements of painting challenges the idea of art as mere imitation, instead positioning it as a medium for exploring new modes of perception and expression.