La dame au pompon 1946

Jean Dubuffet made "La dame au pompon" with oil paint and other materials to build up the surface. The way he attacked the canvas is so physical, so raw. Look at the texture; it's like he's not just painting but building something, almost sculptural. The colors are earthy, muted – browns and creams – but there's a real vibrancy in the way they're layered. See that dark patch there? It's like a void, drawing your eye into the density of the material. He's not trying to hide the process, it's all there on the surface, the drips, the scrapes. Dubuffet reminds me a bit of Guston, both unafraid to be messy, to embrace the awkwardness of the human form. This piece isn't about perfection; it's about the messy, beautiful reality of making. It’s like he's saying, "Here it is, take it or leave it."