Two children on a balcony 1920

Tadeusz Makowski made this painting of two children on a balcony with oil on cardboard, and it feels like he did it alla prima, in one go. There’s something so immediate and raw in the brushwork, like he’s just trying to capture a fleeting moment in the lives of these kids. You can almost see him, squinting, trying to get the light just right. There are these incredible strokes of warm browns and reds, mixed with softer greens and grays, which really bring a sense of depth and texture to the cardboard. I’m thinking about the way he applied the paint – kind of thick in some areas, then scraped back in others – it's like he's building up and breaking down the surface all at once. I love the way the dark outlining around the children defines them so strongly against the background. It reminds me a bit of Paula Modersohn-Becker, who also had that direct, heartfelt approach to her subjects. Painters are always in dialogue, you know? It’s all about seeing what others have done and pushing it further, and it's like these artists are all sharing this conversation across time.