Woman with Fruit 1957

Alexander Bogen made this painting, Woman with Fruit, with what looks like some seriously tactile oil paint. The colors are muted, like a memory, but the application is bold and present. Look at how Bogen laid down the paint, especially in the woman's white dress and the background sky. It's thick, chunky, and almost sculptural. You can practically feel the energy of his brushstrokes, each one deliberate and full of life. This isn't about hiding the process; it's about celebrating the physicality of the medium, the sheer joy of pushing paint around. And then there's the fruit. These vibrant, almost cartoonish pops of color disrupt the otherwise subdued palette, injecting a sense of vitality and abundance. It reminds me a little of early Matisse, with that same Fauvist love of color and simplified form. Like Matisse, Bogen reminds us that art is an ongoing conversation, a playful dance between tradition and innovation, meaning and mystery.