Brustbild der Nichte, Käthchen Winder 

Anton Romako painted this portrait of his niece, Käthchen Winder, using oil on canvas. Oil paint has a unique capacity for blending and layering, crucial for capturing skin tones and subtle facial expressions. Notice how Romako uses this to model the light across Käthchen's face. The application of paint seems effortless, yet there's a clear understanding of form and light. The artist is engaging with a long tradition of portraiture here, a genre that often served the wealthy and powerful. Yet, he has chosen a more personal subject. He is not painting royalty, or a famous person, but a family member, which perhaps gives the portrait a feeling of intimacy. Consider the skill required to create this lifelike image with just brushstrokes and pigment. It is a good reminder that artistic creativity relies on craft, technique, and the artist's knowledge of materials. It reminds us of the labor involved in creating what seems to be simply an image.