Still Life with Watermelon c. 1931

Max Slevogt made this still life with watermelon using oil paint, although the date is unknown. The painting feels like a fleeting moment, captured with quick, intuitive strokes. See how the greens and reds of the watermelon are laid down with a kind of confident looseness? It's like he's not trying to get it "right," but rather to capture the essence of the thing, the juiciness and freshness of the fruit. Up close, you can really see the texture of the paint. Slevogt isn't trying to hide the process; the strokes are visible and kind of chunky in places. There’s this one spot, where the rind meets the red flesh, that the brushwork feels particularly alive. The brush dances between shades of green and red, creating a sense of depth. This painting reminds me of Manet, who also had this knack for capturing the immediacy of life with a few deft strokes. Ultimately, it's not about perfection; it's about capturing a feeling, an impression, a moment in time.