Portrait of Katie McNamara 1928

Robert Henri made this portrait of Katie McNamara with oil on canvas. He’s using the medium quite traditionally – it’s all paint here, no collage, no drawing, just pure paint doing its thing. I like how Henri plays with color temperatures – the way he uses warm reds and oranges for the face, contrasting with the cooler blues in her coat. Look closely, and you’ll notice those brushstrokes; they’re loose, confident, and full of energy. It’s not about getting every detail perfect but capturing a feeling, an impression. It's like he's saying, "I'm not just copying what I see; I'm interpreting it, feeling it." Henri reminds me of Manet, in the way he uses dark backgrounds to make his figures pop. With Manet and Henri, it's more about the experience of seeing, about how light and color can create a mood. And just like life, it's not about having all the answers, but about embracing the questions and the mysteries.