Girl in a red dress c. 1905

Paula Modersohn-Becker made this painting of a girl in a red dress with oil on canvas, though when, exactly, we're not entirely sure. Look at the surface: it's rough and tactile. The paint seems scrubbed onto the canvas, like she's using color to carve out the image. Those whites and creams around the figure? They're not just background; they feel like an active part of the process, pushing the figure forward. I’m drawn to the way the red of the dress is both vivid and muted. There's a simplicity in the form, an almost childlike rendering, but it's belied by the sophistication of the color relationships, particularly the way the darker colours of the dress and hair ground the figure. You know, Modersohn-Becker was doing some really groundbreaking stuff, pushing the boundaries of representation. I'm reminded of other artists, like Marsden Hartley, who embraced a similar kind of directness and emotional intensity in their work. It's like they're all part of this ongoing conversation about what painting can be.