Adolph Simon Ochs 1926

Philip Alexius de László painted this portrait of Adolph Simon Ochs using oil on canvas, and it's really about how the artist has built up the image through layers of paint. I'm drawn to the way de László handles the darks in this painting. It’s not just a flat, empty black; you can see how he’s used different tones and textures to create depth, as if the darkness is alive and breathing. Look closely, and you'll notice how he scumbles the paint, dragging it dryly over the canvas to catch the light. It’s especially noticeable around the edges of Ochs’ face and shoulders. This technique gives the painting a subtle, almost mysterious quality, as if Ochs is emerging from the shadows. It reminds me a little of how Velázquez played with light and shadow, not in a direct visual way, but in the shared understanding that a painting is not just an image, but an invitation to see the world in a new way.