Study of tree 1907

Richard Gerstl made this little painting of a tree with oil on wood. There’s something so fresh about the way he’s attacking the scene with those visible brushstrokes – you can really see him figuring it out as he goes. Look at how the brushwork gives a sense of depth to the foliage. The paint is applied in these really direct, chunky marks. I love the slightly acidic, dark greens he’s chosen, and how he’s letting the pinks of the underpainting peek through. See where the branches reach out towards us? It’s so dynamic and alive. The trunk of the tree is solid and steady compared to the fleeting strokes of color around it. Gerstl reminds me a bit of Kokoschka; they both share this raw, expressive energy. It’s like they’re wrestling with the paint, trying to capture something beyond the surface. For me, it's a beautiful reminder that art is not just about perfection, but about the messy, beautiful process of trying to see.