A Anna 1959

Jean Bertholle made this painting, A Anna, with what looks like oil paint, and a heck of a lot of intuition. You can tell that each mark is laid down thoughtfully, building up layers of colour and energy. I can imagine Bertholle standing there, brush in hand, maybe in a flurry of quick decisions, trying to capture a feeling, a memory, or some fleeting image. The composition is a vibrant mix of greens, blues, and oranges, slashed through with bold black strokes that give the whole thing a dynamic, almost frenetic energy. There’s a real push-and-pull happening here - it reminds me of my own studio, trying to resolve the unresolved. What’s great is that this kind of work creates a dialogue, a conversation between artists across time. Looking at this, I feel like I’m part of something bigger, an ongoing exploration of what painting can be, and how it can help us see the world in new ways.