Girl with a Comb in her Hair 1933

Kazimir Malevich made this oil painting on canvas, "Girl with a Comb in her Hair," and it’s now over in Moscow. Look at how Malevich builds up this face and figure with such clearly defined shapes. The hair is like blocks of yellow and ochre, and then there are the bold, flat colors of her clothes. It's almost like he’s breaking down the figure into its basic parts, like a puzzle. I love how the paint has a kind of matte, chalky feel. It's not trying to trick you into thinking it's anything other than paint on canvas. And that little red line around her neck? It’s such a small detail, but it pulls the whole thing together. It’s like he’s saying, “I’m not trying to fool you with realism, I’m showing you what painting can do.” It makes me think of Leger, another artist who was all about simplifying forms and using color in unexpected ways. Art is always about seeing what others have done and then pushing it further, right?