Margarethe von Stumm c. 1902

Franz von Lenbach captured Margarethe von Stumm in creamy browns, tans, and charcoal blacks. I imagine he stepped back and squinted a lot as he worked on this. It's like he built her up with layers of tone, letting her emerge from the depths. The circular background seems to push her forward into our space, an intimate but formal gesture, with the sitter holding a thoughtful pose. I'm guessing Lenbach wanted to capture her intelligence and sensitivity. Look at the quick strokes describing her hair, and then how they contrast with the smoother application of paint on her face. These formal decisions evoke an impression of light and form. There's an artist working here, thinking and feeling. You know, that look in her eyes, and the delicate turn of her head, it reminds me of other portraits from the time – a conversation happening across canvases. Artists are always chatting to one another, riffing on the same themes, pushing and pulling at the language of paint.