Italian Woman with a Yellow Scarf 1913

Charles Guérin painted this Italian Woman with a Yellow Scarf with oils on canvas, but the yellow is hiding from us in this version. You can see he’s making marks, feeling his way, like he’s thinking with the brush in his hand. Look at the way the paint sits on the surface, it’s not trying to trick you into thinking it’s something else. You can see the strokes, the way he’s built up the image, bit by bit. There’s a real honesty to it. It's like he’s saying, "Here’s the paint, here’s what I’m doing with it." And notice that little stroke of brighter colour just to the right of her nose – it’s nothing much, but it brings the whole face alive. It’s those small moments of looking that make this painting sing. Maybe Guérin had a look at Manet now and again? He embraces the unfinished quality, inviting us to complete the picture in our own minds.