The Little Irishman 1913

Robert Henri painted “The Little Irishman” with oil on canvas, and you can see he really let himself go with it. The brushstrokes are visible and juicy. It’s all about the process, the joy of laying down paint. Henri uses a warm, inviting palette. Look at the yellows and oranges in the boy's shirt – they practically glow! And the contrast with the darker background makes him pop. You can almost feel the texture of the canvas under the paint. I love the way he captured the boy's rosy cheeks. It's just a few daubs of red, but it brings the whole painting to life. It reminds me of some of Manet’s portraits, where he used a similar approach – quick, confident strokes to capture a fleeting moment. With this work, Henri reminds us that art is not just about representation, it’s about feeling. It's about letting the paint speak for itself and embracing the beauty of imperfection.