Annie of the Royal Bafokeng 1945

Maggie Laubser's "Annie of the Royal Bafokeng" is an oil painting of a portrait, with a real sense of immediacy in its mark making. Laubser lays down colours with a gutsy confidence, where the paint is applied thickly, yet remains surprisingly translucent. See the flowers that sprout from Annie's head? The texture is luscious, like dabs of icing on a cake. The strokes are visible, raw, and unblended, which gives the painting a lively, unfinished quality. The background is a hazy wash of green, blue and yellow, like an impressionistic landscape, with the barest hint of rolling hills. What I love most is the way Laubser doesn't seem too concerned with perfection, instead embracing the process of painting itself. Laubser reminds me of Paula Modersohn-Becker, with her simplified forms and her earthy palette. Both artists, in their own way, were pushing the boundaries of portraiture, turning the act of painting into an experiment. This piece is a reminder that art is as much about the journey as it is about the destination.