Bouquet in a green flower-vase 1916

Tadeusz Makowski made this painting of a *Bouquet in a green flower-vase* with oils, and you can see how the process of its making is right there on the surface. I love how the brushstrokes build the form of the vase and the flowers, but never quite resolve into a smooth surface. It’s like Makowski is showing us how he sees, not just what he sees. The paint isn’t trying to trick us into thinking the vase is real. Look closely, and you can see these tiny brushstrokes, especially in the background. They are like little windows into Makowski’s thought process. It reminds me of Morandi. Both artists seem to be having a quiet conversation with their subjects and letting us eavesdrop. There’s a real generosity in that, an openness to sharing the act of looking and thinking, rather than just presenting a finished product. It’s like saying, ‘Here’s how I see the world, what do you think?’