Maria, (Lucinda) 1917

Robert Henri made this painting, Maria, also known as Lucinda, with oil on canvas, and when I look at it I imagine him building it up, bit by bit. Henri's brushstrokes are confident, and the way he's laid down the paint makes me think about the pure physical act of painting. The white cloth is rendered with thick daubs of paint, almost sculptural, while the background is looser, more atmospheric. It’s not about perfection, but about capturing a feeling, a mood. I wonder what Henri and Maria, or Lucinda, were thinking about? The girl's gaze seems to drift off somewhere, perhaps lost in thought. Henri was part of a movement called the Ashcan School, which depicted daily life, and was interested in capturing a true likeness of his sitters, warts and all! This work is a reminder that we are all connected through art, building upon what came before.