After the Bath c. 1925

Frederick Carl Frieseke made this painting, "After the Bath," with oil on canvas. Look at the way the colors vibrate, the brushstrokes are soft, creating a hazy light, reminiscent of Renoir. It’s like he’s not just painting a scene, but also a feeling, the feeling of warmth, of rest. Up close, the surface has so much texture! Thick, buttery paint gives it a tactile quality. The red in the rug is amazing, it almost glows. See how he used these tiny dabs of color, letting them mix in our eyes? It's like a mosaic. He brings this technique into her skin too, she’s a combination of pinks, blues and creams, she glows! I’m reminded of Bonnard, another artist who loved capturing domestic scenes with a similar intimacy. Art is really about these dialogues across time, where artists borrow, challenge, and reimagine what came before, it's a constant process of reinterpretation, isn't it?