Nude 1960

Auguste Herbin made this painting, called *Nude*, using oil on board. It’s hard to know when it was created. What I see first is how Herbin applied the paint, using the flat shapes almost like stencils. It’s a really hands-on way of working, where the color does all the talking. Looking closer, there's a real directness in the way the color is applied. The surface is relatively smooth, so it's as if the paint has been evenly distributed. I like the way the red circle at the bottom is slightly softer than the other areas, giving the illusion of depth. The composition is a kind of puzzle that demands that you rearrange it in your own mind. It’s this sense of play, of something being put together and taken apart that I find so compelling. It reminds me a little of Leger, who liked to play with geometry but it also stands alone in its reductive qualities. Art is an ongoing conversation, and the best pieces are the ones that start a new chapter.