Lady Trying on a Hat (The Black Hat) 1904

Frank Benson’s “Lady Trying on a Hat” is a symphony in whites, blacks, and subdued hues, painted with what looks like pure joy in the act. Imagine Benson, brush in hand, circling the canvas, building up layers, scraping back, adding subtle shades to catch the light on her dress. I wonder what he was thinking as he painted? Was he trying to capture a fleeting moment of elegance, or diving deeper into the psychology of portraiture? Look at the way he renders the hat—it’s not just a piece of millinery, it's a dark, looming presence, obscuring her face, casting her in shadow. The paint is applied loosely here, suggesting form without fully defining it. A very different mood from the vase of roses on the table, painted in soft, delicate colours! Painters are always in conversation with each other, aren't they? I can see echoes of Manet and Whistler in Benson’s handling of light and shadow. Painting is like that; it's about seeing what others have done, taking it in, and then making it your own. It’s always an experiment, always changing, never fixed.