Abundance 1923

Tadeusz Makowski made Abundance, we don't know exactly when, but I'm drawn to the way he builds up his forms with this dry, almost scratchy paint handling, like he's carving them out of the canvas. It feels like a constant process of revision. The earthy palette really anchors the figure, she almost blends into the background. Look how the texture of her skin is created with these little dabs and strokes, it's as if she's made of the same stuff as the fruit she's holding. There's a vulnerability in the way she's presented, but also a sense of strength and resilience. My eye keeps going to her hands, they're so delicately rendered, almost translucent, like she's barely there at all. I see something of Paula Modersohn-Becker in this piece, that same raw, earthy sensuality. I think art is about this kind of conversation across time, we build on what's come before, but we also bring our own unique perspective to it. There's no one right way to see this painting, and that's part of its beauty.