Anne Reading Ouspensky, Anticoli Corrado, Italy 1967

Frank Mason’s painting shows Anne Reading Ouspensky, probably painted with oils on canvas. Look at the way he’s used the paint, almost like he’s sculpting with it! It’s thick in some places, particularly around the light that floods in from the window. The whole scene is enrobed in shadow, but where the light hits, the paint is a juicy, warm color. Notice how the texture of the paint makes the light almost palpable, like you could reach out and touch it. The brushstrokes are loose, but they define the form and give it a sense of immediacy. The way that Mason has captured the light reminds me of Rembrandt. There’s something really special about the way painters depict other people absorbed in reading. It’s a moment of quiet contemplation, and Mason’s painting captures that beautifully. The mystery and ambiguity is what draws me in.