Personnages aux chevaux 1935

Marcelle Cahn painted *Personnages aux chevaux* with a love of ochre and sienna, those earthy tones, and the way they play off against the blues and greens. It looks like she planned the composition in advance, but there’s also something exploratory in the painting, as if she discovered new possibilities as she worked. The surface is smooth, almost glassy, and the paint is applied in flat, opaque blocks. The subtle shifts in tone create a sense of depth and volume that’s really pleasing. I especially like the horse’s eye, that simple green circle with a dot in the center. It’s so stylized, and yet it gives the horse a real sense of character. It reminds me a little of Leger, or even Picasso in his more figurative moments. Ultimately, I think this painting is a reminder that art is always an ongoing conversation.