Parisian Interior 1910

Jozsef Rippl-Ronai made this Parisian Interior with a real zest for colour, capturing a domestic space with a kind of joyful shorthand. Look at the way the paint is dabbed on, building up the image with these little marks that almost vibrate on the surface. It's like he's trying to capture the light itself. The red tablecloth is the heart of the painting. It's not just red, it's a whole world of reds, from the bright scarlet highlights to the deeper, more muted tones in the shadows, all created with a thick impasto. You can practically feel the texture. Notice how the floral pattern on the cloth's edge is rendered with these quick, almost childlike strokes that bring the whole scene to life. Rippl-Ronai’s interest in the pointillist technique reminds me a little of Signac, who also experimented with these kinds of broken strokes. However, Rippl-Ronai has a rawer, more intimate feel, like he’s just trying to nail down a feeling rather than adhering to some strict theory. It’s this willingness to embrace the messy, the imperfect, that makes the painting so alive and interesting.