Seated Female Nude 1908 - 1909

Karl Isakson made this oil painting, "Seated Female Nude," using delicate, hazy strokes. It’s almost like he’s feeling his way around the form, not quite sure what he’ll find, but excited by the process of looking for it. You can see how the surface is built up with layers of paint. The colors are subdued, mostly greys and whites. I like how the paint is applied thinly in some areas, almost transparent, and thickly in others, creating this subtle contrast of textures. Look at the face. It’s so soft, and sort of tentative, like he’s gently coaxing it into existence. The textures feel so sensual, like skin on skin, a tactile experience, almost like you could reach out and touch it. There's something about his approach that makes me think of Paula Modersohn-Becker, another artist who was interested in capturing the essence of the figure, rather than just a literal representation. Art is always a dialogue, a conversation across time and space.