The artist’s wife 1924

Jozef Hanula painted this portrait of his wife in 1927, it looks like he used oils. The color palette is pretty subdued, with that lovely reddish-brown background setting the stage for a study in blacks and grays. The material quality here is really interesting. The paint application isn't super showy, but it's confident, you know? There's a kind of directness in the way he's handled the brushstrokes, especially in the folds of her dress, where the paint seems to follow the form without getting fussy. Look closely at her hands, resting so calmly in her lap. You can almost feel the weight and texture of the fabric beneath them. There's this golden ring, a tiny spark of warmth amidst all that darkness. It draws your eye and makes you wonder about their relationship. It reminds me a little of Vilhelm Hammershøi’s interiors, where quiet domestic scenes become these profound meditations on light, shadow, and the human condition. Ultimately, the power of painting lies in its ability to hold space for multiple readings and feelings.