Children and roosters 1921

Tadeusz Makowski made this painting of children and roosters with oils, though we don't know exactly when. The colour palette here is earthy, reddish-brown, with strokes that define forms but don't quite contain them. This openness makes the painting feel like a work in progress, an experiment in capturing the fleeting moments. The surface is thick with layers of paint, built up to create a textured landscape where the figures emerge. Look closely at the rooster; the brushstrokes are so physical, almost sculptural, giving the bird a vibrant, restless energy. It's as if Makowski wasn’t just painting an image but also trying to capture a feeling, a sense of movement and life bursting from the canvas. The cage bars further emphasise this feeling, as the children look up at the roosters, their faces mirror the bird's. Makowski’s work reminds me a bit of Chaim Soutine, both artists wrestled with paint, letting the material itself express the raw emotion they were trying to convey, embracing the beauty of imperfection.