Mulatress with Figurine and Dutch Seascape, 1920

Archibald Motley made this oil painting, "Mulatress with Figurine and Dutch Seascape" and in it you can see how he builds up the forms with these delicious brushstrokes. You can just tell he really enjoyed laying down the paint. I love how the orange of her vest jumps out against the blue of her sleeves and the grey wall behind. The paint is applied in layers, but it's not overworked. You can see the marks of the brush, especially in the way the light hits her face. There's a certain looseness that makes the painting feel alive. Take a look at how the figurine on the table almost echoes the sitter's pose, but in an abstract, sculptural way. The small Dutch seascape hanging on the wall is rendered with softer brushwork, and it’s like a little window into another world. Motley reminds me a bit of Alice Neel in his ability to capture a person's essence with such directness and honesty. Like Neel, Motley isn't afraid to let the paint do its thing, allowing the marks to build up and create a sense of depth and texture.