Two children 1920

Tadeusz Makowski made this painting, "Two Children," using brushes and oil paint on canvas. The very visible brushstrokes give the painting texture and depth, and you can sense the artist's hand in the thick application of paint. The figures are rendered with broad, almost crude strokes, which lends a sense of immediacy to the work. Makowski, though trained academically, chose an expressive approach, foregoing traditional painting techniques to capture the raw emotion of childhood. This was a period of social upheaval in Europe, and painting like this was a democratizing force. The subject isn't a dignitary. The style isn't polished. Instead, we get everyday people, handled with simple, direct materials. By focusing on these elements of materiality, making, and context, we can appreciate the full meaning of the artwork, challenging traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.