Omakuva 1914

This is Tyko Sallinen's 'Omakuva,' a self-portrait painted with oil on canvas. Look at that blue background, so alive with brushstrokes! It's like the paint is still moving, still wet, even though time has passed. It gives the whole painting a sense of immediacy, of being caught in the act of making. Sallinen wasn't trying to hide his process; he was embracing it. Now, check out the face. See how the colors shift and change? There's a yellow under the jaw, a green in the collar. It's not just about capturing a likeness; it's about exploring the possibilities of paint, how color can create depth and emotion. It reminds me of Van Gogh, the way he used color to express his inner world. Art's a conversation, right? One artist builds on another, and we all learn from each other. It's not about having all the answers but about asking the right questions.