Viv in Blue Stripe 1914

Robert Henri's 'Viv in Blue Stripe' is a painting in which the artist used oil paint to create a portrait of a woman. The most captivating element of this portrait is the striped jacket, where Henri uses bold, energetic brushstrokes. Notice how he doesn't fuss over getting each line perfect; instead, he captures the essence of the fabric, allowing the texture of the paint and the canvas to peek through. The blue and white stripes create a rhythm, a visual dance that enlivens the entire composition. The fluidity of the brushstrokes gives the work a breezy, informal feel, a portrait that captures a fleeting moment in time. Henri’s loose brushwork and interest in depicting everyday subjects remind me of Manet, particularly in the way he approaches color and light. Like Manet, Henri seems more interested in capturing the immediate impression of a scene, rather than striving for meticulous detail. It’s this embrace of the imperfect, the unfinished, that makes the painting so engaging, inviting us to fill in the gaps with our own imagination.