Seamstress 1904

Max Liebermann painted this scene of a Seamstress, and it’s all about the process, isn’t it? Look at how he builds up the image with these loose, visible brushstrokes. It’s not about hiding the work but reveling in it. There’s a real materiality to it; you can almost feel the rough texture of the canvas and the way the paint sits on the surface. The colours are earthy, muted, but they create this incredible light and shadow. Notice how the white fabric in her hands almost glows against the deeper tones of her skirt and the surrounding garden. It’s the kind of light you only get from seeing. This reminds me of some of Courbet’s paintings. There’s a similar attention to the everyday, and that same embrace of the imperfections and messiness of life and art. It's a reminder that painting is not just about representation, but about the act of seeing and making.