After the bath 1932

Mikuláš Galanda made this painting "After the bath" with oils. The dominant colors are pinks and reds. I can almost feel the canvas, imagine Galanda dabbing at it, layering these hues to bring this figure into being. I can feel the artist figuring things out and responding to what's on the canvas. What was it like for him to make this? The figure looks as though she is emerging from the ground; her face is unformed. The gesture of her hand is so delicate, gathering her tresses, but what is she thinking? This painting has a luminous and dreamy quality. The tones have a physical presence – you can almost smell the oil paint! It’s as though Galanda is in conversation with other artists like Bonnard, offering their take on color and form. Each artist’s work exists in response to the artists that came before them. It’s this conversation that makes painting so alive.