Porträt der Mary Stuck 1910

This is a portrait of Mary Stuck, by Franz von Stuck, but the date of execution is unknown. It’s like, what was Stuck thinking when he made this? What was their relationship? The painting’s palette is built around a dark chocolate brown, which might have seemed cutting edge at the time. But maybe the painter was trying to capture some of the sitter’s introversion. You know, those shy young women who are quiet and polite, but they have a wildness about them just beneath the surface? The surface of the painting is thinly veiled with a wash of dark brown and black hues. There’s a lot of subtlety in the face and features, especially around her eyes, that I’m drawn to. I think that painters, like musicians and writers, are in an ongoing conversation. They are responding to one another, and they inspire each other across time. For me, this painting opens a space of contemplation and reflection, reminding me that art is as much about questions as it is about answers.