Figural scene with donkeys 1920

Tadeusz Makowski made this painting, called Figural scene with donkeys, with a lot of earthy colours that give it a warm, old-timey feeling. The way he moves the brush makes me think about how painting is like telling a story, one mark at a time. Looking closely, you can see how Makowski layers the paint, sometimes thick, sometimes thin, to build up this busy scene. There's a figure near the front who seems to be lying down, almost melting into the ground, drawn with big, looping brushstrokes. That particular shape, repeated throughout the image, gives the piece a sense of movement. The donkey itself is captured with a few confident strokes. It reminds me a little of Daumier, who also had a real soft spot for everyday life. It's cool how Makowski lets the painting be kind of fuzzy, not too precise, inviting us to fill in the gaps with our own imagination. Art isn't about giving all the answers, but about asking interesting questions.