Chlapec v matrózových šatách 1916

Jozef Hanula painted this young boy in his sailor suit sometime around 1916, and it makes you wonder what Hanula was thinking, painting this portrait, during what must have been a difficult time. There’s something so touchingly real about this kid. I mean, look at the awkward way he's sitting, one leg sort of kicking out, the other tucked beneath, and the shy yet steady gaze. You know he’d rather be out playing. I’m curious about the material, too. It’s quite a controlled palette, very tonal, so I imagine Hanula spent a lot of time mixing colours and blending. His brushstrokes are softened, and the details like the folds in the curtain, or the fabric of the boy’s clothes are evoked with great care. To me, this painting speaks to a moment in time, a record of one person’s experience, and an echo of the countless images which keep conversations between artists alive.