Girl in the mirror 

'Girl in the Mirror' was painted by Nicolae Grigorescu, likely in the late 19th or early 20th century, using oil on canvas. Grigorescu applied the paint in thick, visible strokes, a technique known as impasto, which gives the surface a tactile quality. The texture and form of the painting is shaped by the direct application of the oil paint. Grigorescu would have built up the image gradually, layer upon layer, allowing the material properties of the oil paint to contribute to the overall effect. This approach aligns him with the Impressionists' focus on capturing fleeting moments. The use of oil paint, a medium associated with fine art, elevates this intimate domestic scene. Yet, the quick, almost casual handling of the paint also speaks to a modern sensibility, challenging the rigid academic standards that once defined fine art. By emphasizing the material and the process, Grigorescu invites us to reconsider the boundary between the studied 'high art' and the immediacy of everyday life.