Mrs. Anni Lagerborg 1914

Magnus Enckell painted "Mrs. Anni Lagerborg" in 1914, and the subdued palette he uses feels like he's feeling his way through the painting. It's all soft edges and gentle tones, like a whispered secret. Look at the texture here. Enckell builds up the paint in layers, but thinly, so you can still see the canvas peeking through. It's not about hiding the process, but about letting it breathe. The brushstrokes around her face are particularly delicate. See how they blend together, creating a sense of softness and vulnerability? It's like he's trying to capture not just her likeness, but her inner world, too. I think what strikes me most is the way the small pop of turquoise in the book relates to the gentle greens in the background. It's a small moment of colour but really makes the painting sing as a whole. There's something very Vuillard-esque about the intimacy of this painting. It reminds us that art isn't just about showing us something, but about inviting us into a conversation, a feeling, a shared moment of quiet contemplation.