Tango c. 1917 - 1919

Otto Verhagen made "Tango" with pencil and watercolor, and you can almost hear the music. The colors are muted, yet there's a playful energy in the sketchiness of the marks. It feels like Verhagen was figuring it out as he went, capturing the essence of the dance rather than aiming for perfection. The way the purple bleeds into the graphite lines in the background suggests movement, a kind of blur that captures the rhythm of the tango. Look at the woman's green dress, how the color is applied so freely, almost like a watercolor wash, yet the folds are clearly defined. Then check out the man's socks, a striking flash of red that draws your eye and enlivens the whole composition. This reminds me a little of Degas, both of them capturing a moment, a feeling, with these fleeting marks. Art isn't about answers, it's about the questions we ask and the stories we can tell ourselves.