Morning Sun 1910

Lovis Corinth painted this scene, called Morning Sun, with oils, sometime around 1910. Look at how the colour seems to emerge out of the darkness, particularly on the woman’s face, and how the paint is just slapped on – in the best way possible, of course. You can really feel that Corinth was *in* the process of painting. I’m drawn to the way he handles the white of the sheets. It’s not just white; there are flecks of blue and grey, and these quick strokes create a real sense of volume. The physicality of the paint, the way it's layered and scumbled, gives the whole composition a kind of restless energy. It's like he’s trying to capture not just a visual likeness, but the very feeling of waking up, of light hitting your face. This reminds me a little of Manet, who used the same speedy, bold brushstrokes to convey a sense of immediacy, but maybe with a bit more vulnerability. It’s a reminder that art is always a conversation, and Corinth, like all of us, is just adding his voice to the mix.