Dancer at the Moulin Rouge 1908

Jules Pascin painted this dancer at the Moulin Rouge, probably in the early 20th century, with oil on canvas. Look at the way he builds up the image from thin washes of color. It's all about the process, the layering, the gradual emergence of form. The texture is smooth, almost like watercolor, and the colors are muted, mostly pinks, whites, and reds. Pascin uses the red to really make this piece pop. It’s almost like you can feel the heat of the Moulin Rouge, but from a distance. The paint is thin, transparent, allowing the canvas to show through in places, and the brushwork is visible, especially in the background. It reminds me a little of Degas, but with a touch more grit, that sense that he’s trying to capture something fleeting and real. Art is really just a conversation.