Gipsies 1901

Karoly Ferenczy made this painting called 'Gipsies' with oil on canvas, and what strikes me is its dark, almost brooding palette. But within that darkness, there's this incredible sense of light trying to break through, like the art-making process itself. Looking closely, you can see how Ferenczy builds up the surface with layers of paint. It's not about hiding the process, but celebrating it. The blue of the central figure’s skirt, for example, feels almost alive. There's a kind of energy there, a vibrancy that contradicts the sombre tone. It's thick in some places, thin in others, creating a texture that makes you want to reach out and touch it. This reminds me of the paintings of Paula Modersohn-Becker, where the everyday is rendered with such intense emotional honesty. Ferenczy's painting, like Modersohn-Becker's, embraces ambiguity, inviting us to bring our own experiences and interpretations to the canvas.