Schertl Vincze 1915

Jozef Hanula made this oil painting of Schertl Vincze at some point in the late 19th or early 20th century. What strikes me first is the color—or, really, the lack of it. Hanula’s palette is so restrained, almost monochromatic. It's like he’s saying, "I don't need a riot of hues to capture this guy’s essence." Look at the way he builds up the face with these subtle variations of tone, soft pinks, and grays. You can almost feel the texture of the skin, the way the light catches on the cheekbones. The paint is thin and translucent, allowing the canvas to breathe. And then there’s that beard. It's like a little explosion of dark, wiry energy right there in the center of the composition. It's a bold move, but it works, creating a focal point that anchors the whole piece. It reminds me a bit of Courbet, with its raw, unvarnished realism, but with a uniquely Slovakian sensibility. Art, like beards, grows wild and free.