The Woodman 1910

This painting, The Woodman, by Ferdinand Hodler, shows a man in the midst of an action, rendered with visible, tangible brushstrokes. It really speaks to an understanding of artmaking as a process; it’s like Hodler is chopping the wood right in front of us. Look at the texture, the way he's loaded the paint onto the canvas. It's not trying to hide anything. The woodman's muscles bulge, rendered with thick daubs of color. It's fascinating how Hodler uses such a limited palette, mostly earth tones, and yet manages to convey such a sense of vitality. The ground, rendered with loose green and brown strokes, is a particularly nice touch. It’s gestural and energetic, echoing the woodman's swing and giving the entire piece a feeling of raw, unbridled energy. You know, this work reminds me of Courbet. Like him, Hodler is interested in depicting the real, the physical labor of everyday life, and that's pretty cool.