Portrait of a Woman 

This is a portrait of a woman by Marie Bashkirtseff, made with oil paint, a traditional medium. If you look closely, the visible brushstrokes reveal much about the artist's process, and her social position. The textured paint, built up in layers, speaks of the time and labor invested in this artwork. Brushwork is confident, almost hasty, particularly in areas such as the hat and jacket. We see the quick, gestural marks that bring the woman's clothing to life. Consider the materiality of oil paint itself, a substance historically associated with the elite, due to the cost of pigments, and the skills needed to manipulate them. In this case, we may consider how Bashkirtseff, as a woman artist in the 19th century, navigated this landscape to establish her place within the fine arts. This portrait invites us to consider how materials, processes, and social context intertwine, challenging traditional notions of art and craft, while exploring the conditions of making.