The Ermine Muff 1903

William James Glackens made this painting with oil paint, and what strikes me is the way he's not trying to hide the process. The whole thing has a kind of hazy, dreamlike feel, and the way the brushstrokes blend into each other, especially in the background, gives it this lovely, soft focus. But then you get up close, and you see the paint's actually quite thick in places, like on the ermine muff itself. He’s not afraid to let the paint do its thing, to let it have its own texture and presence. Check out the way he's handled the light on the woman's face – just a few daubs of pink and white, but it's enough to give her a real presence. It's not about perfect representation; it's about capturing a feeling, a mood. There is something of Vuillard or Bonnard here, with an interest in domestic space, and the figure as a form within this. For me, that’s what painting is all about. It’s not about answers, it’s about possibilities.