Girl holding a rose in her hand 1920

Tadeusz Makowski made this painting of a girl holding a rose with what looks like oil on canvas, but it’s the colors that really get me going: pale yellow, pinks, and blues. I love that the mark making feels intuitive. Makowski coaxes out the texture of this painting. It seems he’s not afraid to let the paint sit on the surface, especially in the background, creating depth and almost a sense of atmosphere. Look at her cheeks, too; there’s this playful use of pink that gives her a rosy-cheeked innocence. What I love about a piece like this is how it nods to folk art. Think of artists like Henri Rousseau, who embraced a certain naiveté and honesty in their work. Ultimately, this piece is more than just a portrait. It's a meditation on seeing, feeling, and art-making itself. Isn’t it great?