Dutch Match Woman 1910

Robert Henri made this portrait, Dutch Match Woman, with oil on canvas. He's got this confident, almost casual approach to the paint, you know? Like he's just having a conversation with the canvas. It's all about the surface, the way the brushstrokes build up the form. Look at the thick, juicy strokes in her coat, how they create this sense of depth and texture. Then there's the way he captures the light on her face, those rosy cheeks, and the way the shadows define her features. And right there, on her right cheek, that little daub of red, it's like a tiny explosion of color. It's a simple mark, but it brings the whole painting to life. Henri's work always reminds me of Manet, that same directness and honesty. It's like he's saying, "Here it is, this is what I see," and leaving it up to us to make sense of it.