Segovian Girl 1912

Robert Henri painted this portrait of a Segovian Girl, we don’t know exactly when, but probably with oil on canvas. The subdued palette is punctuated with dynamic, gestural marks, particularly in the girl's clothing and fan. It's like Henri is thinking through paint, letting each stroke build not just an image, but also an experience. Up close, it's all about the materiality – the thick, buttery texture of the paint, the way he's loaded the brush and let it dance across the canvas. Check out the cascading strokes of gold and ochre in her jacket, see how each one is laid down with confidence, almost reckless abandon. This area really activates the painting, and you can almost feel Henri's energy as he worked. It's like he's inviting us to witness the very act of creation, to see the painting come alive, stroke by stroke. There's an affinity here with the later work of someone like Manet, who also embraced the beauty of loose, expressive brushwork and a real sense of immediacy.