The Counting Lesson 1938

This is Albert Huie’s painting of a young girl, called "The Counting Lesson," and it's all about the subtle shifts in tone. The brown of her skin against the muted palette of white, red and green. I imagine Huie carefully building the form of her face with layers of thin paint, adding depth and nuance. Look at the way the light catches the planes of her face, how the shadow defines her cheekbones. He's working those dark and light contrasts. It’s like he’s trying to capture her very essence, not just her likeness. And those hands! The way they are slightly blurred suggests the way that thoughts might travel through the mind as she is learning. Huie, like many of us painters, is deeply engaged in a conversation with those who came before, learning from their techniques and approaches. Ultimately, the real power in this painting comes from the way it invites us to slow down, to really see. To count, perhaps. To ponder the infinite possibilities held within a single moment, or a single face.