Still life with lemon, orange and tomato 1903

Paula Modersohn-Becker’s “Still life with lemon, orange and tomato” is painted with oil paint. There's something very satisfying in how Modersohn-Becker allows the painting to be what it is: a collection of brush marks that together make up an image, but that remain, at the same time, just marks. Look closely and you'll notice the texture of the painting. It's rough, almost like she's building up layers of paint, one on top of the other, to create these simple, rounded forms. The colours are muted, earthy, yet there's a vibrancy in the way the yellow of the lemon pops against the blue tinged plate. See the little black dot in the center of the orange? It's such a small detail, but it brings the whole painting to life. It’s the kind of thing that makes a painting more than just a representation, but an actual thing in itself. Modersohn-Becker reminds me a little of someone like Marsden Hartley, maybe it’s their shared interest in the directness and physicality of painting? Ultimately, this work feels like a reminder that art isn’t about perfection, it’s about embracing the messiness and uncertainty of the process.