La rentrée 1927

Anita Malfatti’s 'La rentrée' feels like it was made with oils, perhaps in the 1920s, given the fashions depicted. The colours are warm and enveloping, and the brushstrokes are applied in short, deliberate marks. I find myself drawn to the way Malfatti renders the light filtering through the window. The paint is applied in layers, creating a sense of depth and luminosity. The strokes are visible, almost like a topographical map of the surface. The woman at the mirror has an other-worldy presence, reflected back at us. This reminds me of Vuillard, who was also a painter of interiors. Like Vuillard, Malfatti's painting isn’t just about recording a scene, it’s about capturing a mood, a feeling, an experience. And, like all good art, it leaves plenty of room for us to bring our own interpretations to the table.