Spanish Girl 1912

Robert Henri captured this Spanish Girl in oil paint with a direct, confident approach. You can almost see him there in his studio, building up the image bit by bit. Henri isn't trying to hide the painting process. The brushstrokes are visible, especially in the background, where you can see how he's layered different tones to create depth. Look at the shawl, how those red roses pop against the deep black, each petal a little dab of paint, somehow capturing the softness of fabric and the weight of shadow. He's playing with light, catching the curve of her cheek and the glint in her eye, making her feel so present. Henri reminds me of Manet, with his loose brushwork and focus on modern life. But Henri has his own thing going on, a real interest in the human spirit. It’s a dance between representation and abstraction, between what we see and how we feel.