The Magdalen with Pearls in her Hair 1919

Lovis Corinth painted this Magdalen in 1919 with oils on canvas, and it’s like looking at a study in warm flesh tones. The process is right there on the surface. You can really see the physicality of the paint, how it’s been applied, and the gesture behind each brushstroke. Look closely at the way the light hits her chest, and how he's built up layers of ochre and pink to create a sense of volume. It's pretty clear Corinth wasn't trying to hide anything. I'm reminded of other painters like Paula Modersohn-Becker, in the way she fearlessly approached the female figure with such honesty and directness, or even a bit of Beckmann’s bluntness. Ultimately this painting feels like a candid conversation, embracing the many different ways we might interpret what we see, refusing to be pinned down.