Portrait of the painter Isaak Izrailevich Brodsky 1913

Ilya Repin painted this portrait of Isaak Brodsky, another painter, in 1913, and I can only imagine they made it with oil paints. Look at the way Repin's built up the surface. It's all about these visible brushstrokes, hatching and layering, creating a real sense of texture and movement. The colors are mostly muted, earthy tones, but there's this play of light and shadow that brings Brodsky to life. And notice the one spot of brighter colour, that red flower! It leads your eye right back to Brodsky's face. For me, the painting is a testament to process. You can see the artist thinking, changing his mind, and pushing the paint around until it feels just right. It's like a conversation between Repin and his materials, a dance of intention and accident, a reminder that art is always evolving. It reminds me a little of Lovis Corinth, in its directness and almost casual feel.