Kopf der Schwester Herma mit Marienblümchenkranz auf dem Hut 1901

This painting of Herma, done by Paula Modersohn-Becker, feels so quiet and intense. Look at the surface: you can see a delicate build-up of thin layers of paint, like she’s slowly coaxing the image into being. I think the earthiness of the palette gives a very physical presence to Herma, anchoring her in the world as much as in Paula’s gaze. What was she thinking, I wonder, as she painted? I can imagine Paula's fascination with the way the yellow hat sits on Herma's head, the way the muted colour contrasts with the blue of her brooch. And those eyes! They gaze directly at the viewer, but with a trace of uncertainty. There's a stillness here that reminds me of other modern painters like Cezanne, but with a unique, feminine perspective. It shows how artists are always building on what others have done, adding their own experiences to the mix. Painting, after all, is a conversation across time.