Masouba 1927

George Baer made this painting, Masouba, with oils on canvas, at an unknown date. The palette is fairly muted, tending towards browns and greens, but it’s the way he's applied the paint that really grabs you. The surface has a real heft to it, with visible brushstrokes building up the forms. Look at the woman's face: each dab and swirl of paint feels like a thought, a decision made in the moment. The paint is so tactile; you can almost feel the artist's hand moving across the canvas. It's particularly noticeable around her eyes and brow – these thick accents of dark paint communicate this sense of melancholy. The way Baer builds up his figures reminds me of some of the early Fauvist painters, like Vlaminck, maybe, or even some of the later expressionists. But really, this piece is unique. Baer's work reminds us that art is always an act of translation, turning feelings and experiences into something tangible, something we can all share.