Czóbel Béla Girl in Pink 1974 1974

Béla Czóbel made this painting, Girl in Pink, in 1974, a few years before his death. Look at the buttery strokes of color that build her form; pinks, yellows, greens, and blues coexisting in a warm harmony. I wonder what it was like for Czóbel at this time in his life, looking at the world with so much experience under his belt. There is a directness to this portrait. The gaze of the girl is soft but steady. Czóbel allows himself to be guided by the pure sensation of color, light, and feeling. It’s like the painting is happening in front of us as we look at it. He lets these colors mingle and breathe together, each informing the other. He is an artist conversing with the legacy of painting, listening to what his predecessors have to say, but speaking in his own distinct tone of voice, which is all any of us can really hope for.