Self-portrait in Rose 1907

Cuno Amiet painted this "Self-Portrait in Rose" with what looks like hundreds of tiny marks, a real commitment to process. The whole image almost vibrates, as if the artist and the painting are buzzing with the same energy. There is a definite thickness to the paint; these are not thin washes, each stroke seems carefully considered, sitting proudly on the canvas. Look at the way Amiet uses pink, not just as a color but as texture, building up layer upon layer. Take a moment to check out the way the pink and yellow strokes dance together on the jacket. There's a real push and pull between what we think we're seeing and what's actually there on the canvas. Amiet reminds me of Paula Modersohn-Becker, another artist who wasn't afraid to use color and texture to explore the self. It's this ongoing conversation, this exchange of ideas across time, that makes art so alive. It reminds us that there's no one "right" way to see or interpret a painting.