Portrait de Madeleine Pissard en Roxane 1921

Jacques-Émile Blanche created this portrait of Madeleine Pissard as Roxane with oil paint, and a light, almost pastel palette. It's interesting to see how he approaches the fabric of her dress, using these broad strokes of white to suggest form and texture. It's a lovely reminder that artmaking is a process of building, layering, and finding your way. The material aspects of this piece really sing. You can almost feel the texture of the canvas, see the individual brushstrokes, and get a sense of the artist's hand moving across the surface. Look at the way he's captured the light on her face, with these delicate touches of pink and blue. It's so subtle, but it brings her to life. And the background, this kind of hazy green, feels almost like a dream. Blanche reminds me a little of John Singer Sargent, both in his bravura brushwork and his interest in portraiture. But Blanche has a slightly more intimate, less formal feel. It’s a reminder that art is an ongoing conversation, a way of seeing and experiencing the world that is constantly evolving.