Masquerade in the dark 1931

Tadeusz Makowski's "Masquerade in the Dark" is a painting where thick layers of oil paint build up a world of muted colours and hidden forms. It's the kind of piece where you can feel the artist's hand moving, layering, almost sculpting the image into being. Up close, you can see how Makowski uses these chunky strokes to create texture, especially around the figure's face and hands. The browns and reds are so dense, they almost feel like you could reach out and touch them. Look at the way the light catches the edges of each brushstroke, giving the painting a real sense of depth. It’s like he’s building up the painting from the ground, each layer adding to the mystery of the scene. The way he's playing with form and colour reminds me a bit of early Cubism, where artists like Picasso and Braque were breaking down objects into geometric shapes. But Makowski brings a certain warmth, a human touch that feels very personal. Ultimately, it's a painting that embraces ambiguity, inviting us to find our own meaning in its depths.