Mädchen in Erwartung ihres Liebhabers 1911

Ferdinand Leeke made this painting, *Mädchen in Erwartung ihres Liebhabers*, which translates as *Girl Waiting for her Lover*, and it's got me thinking about how we all wait around for something. Look at the way Leeke layered those greens and browns to evoke a quiet, rural landscape, and the girl herself, peering from behind the fence, hoping for a glimpse of her beau. I can see Leeke dabbing and swirling his brush on the canvas, trying to capture the feel of expectation. The colours are kind of muted, like a memory, but those red ribbons in her hair pop, drawing your eye and making you wonder what's going on in her head. Is she nervous? Excited? I imagine him thinking about other artists while he worked; perhaps a bit of Millet, a little Courbet, maybe even some Constable to get that sky just right. It’s so cool how artists riff off each other like that, and I think maybe we all do this in our own ways, finding inspiration and connection in the world around us.