Nude 1917

Kmetty János made this nude painting with oil paint, sometime during his career. The blues and the whites push and pull against each other, creating this kind of, dare I say, melancholic mood. It's all about process here, you know? Each stroke feels like a little decision, a little thought being worked out right on the canvas. Looking at the surface, you can see the paint is laid on kind of thick in places, especially around the figure's contours, giving her weight and presence. But then, elsewhere, it’s thinner, almost transparent, like the background is breathing. The brushwork is really visible, which I love. You can see exactly where János was going with each mark, building up the form bit by bit. See that one little brushstroke just under her chin? It’s like a tiny shadow, but it does so much work to define the shape of her face. It's got echoes of Cézanne, but with its own weird, wonderful twist. Art is always a conversation, right?