Mrs Annie Murdoch 1927

George Washington Lambert painted Mrs Annie Murdoch with oils, sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century, and it's a study in controlled energy. Lambert’s brushwork here is so even, and the color palette so restrained, focusing on tonal variation, that it seems like a very considered painting – nothing out of place. Looking closely at the way the fur drapes around Mrs Murdoch’s shoulders, you can see how the physical properties of the paint give the illusion of texture, the slightly raised strokes suggesting the soft, uneven surface of the animal pelt. It's not about replicating reality, it's more like a dance between what paint can do and what we perceive. There’s a quiet intensity in the way Lambert has painted the face. The overall effect reminds me a bit of Whistler; there is a similar interest in subdued colours and careful compositions. But where Whistler is interested in creating a sense of ethereal beauty, Lambert seems more concerned with capturing the personality and presence of his subject. Like all good portraits, this painting feels more like a conversation than a statement.