George Cotton Smith 1908

Robert Henri made this portrait of George Cotton Smith with oil on canvas. The surface is alive with Henri’s brushstrokes, layered and feathered to create the character’s likeness. Look at the way he’s captured the soft, silvery quality of Smith’s beard! There's a real generosity in the brushwork; Henri wasn’t trying to paint a perfect picture. Instead, he seems to be after the essence of the sitter— his gaze. Henri was part of the Ashcan School, a group that celebrated everyday life. You see their influence in his choice of subject and his painterly approach. Artists are always looking at each other's work, riffing, responding. It’s a big conversation that goes on across time. I love the way painting lets us have these conversations and leaves space for all sorts of interpretations.