Study of a peasant in a hat 1920

Tadeusz Makowski made this Study of a Peasant in a Hat in oil, with a palette that feels like earth and sun. The paint is so thick you can almost feel the texture of the canvas beneath. Look closely at the way he’s built up the layers, especially around the vest; strokes of greens and browns fighting for space, creating depth and shadow. You can imagine Makowski working quickly, capturing the essence of the figure with each deliberate mark. It's like he's wrestling with the paint, trying to pin down a fleeting moment. It reminds me a little of Van Gogh’s portraits, the way he used color and brushwork to convey a sense of inner life. But where Van Gogh feels turbulent, this has a kind of quiet solidity, a stillness that speaks volumes about the dignity of labor and the beauty of the everyday. Art isn't about perfect representation; it's about feeling.