Blossoming Lilac c. 1921

Max Slevogt’s ‘Blossoming Lilac’ is a painting that seems to have come into being through a dance between observation and intuition. I can almost feel the artist standing before the lilac bush, squinting at the light as he mixes up violets and greens. It’s such a romantic thing to do: to stand there, trying to capture the way the world makes you feel. I see Slevogt laying down these little dabs and dashes of paint, trying to capture the fleeting moment of a lilac in full bloom. The paint isn’t too thick, but the texture is still there, all those little bumps and ridges catching the light and making the whole thing shimmer. I love the way the lilacs are heavy and abundant on one side but thinning out towards the centre, as if inviting the viewer to continue the painting in their imagination. Painters are constantly looking at each other's work, building on what came before and pushing things in new directions. Slevogt was definitely in conversation with the Impressionists, but he brought his own sensibility to the table. I think that is what all artists do, keep the conversation going across time.