Woman in Red Blouse with Tulips c. 1913 - 1914

William James Glackens made this painting, ‘Woman in Red Blouse with Tulips’, with oil on canvas, working wet-into-wet, I imagine, to allow for the colours to bleed and blend. The painting is dominated by a red colour palette, with strokes of yellow, blue, and white scattered across the composition. It looks as if Glackens might have built up layers of paint, one over the other, creating a surface that feels almost alive. The textures of the brushstrokes give the painting a tactile quality. I imagine Glackens applying paint with swift, confident gestures, layering colours to create a sense of depth and atmosphere. The way he's handled the paint feels energetic, as if he were capturing a fleeting moment, the essence of his subject, rather than a perfect likeness. I wonder if Glackens knew the work of Vuillard. It feels like they were looking at the same things. And maybe even, talking to each other. That's the thing about painting, isn't it? We're all in conversation, trading ideas across time.