A Summer Day 1927

Gerda Wegener made this painting, A Summer Day, using oil paint. The way Wegener approached mark-making feels gentle, almost like she was caressing the canvas with each stroke. The color palette is soft, with a focus on pastels, which gives the whole scene a dreamy, ethereal quality. Looking closely, you can really see the physicality of the medium in the way Wegener has applied the paint. It's thin and transparent in places, allowing the underlying layers to peek through, creating depth and luminosity. Other areas, like the folds of the dresses, have thicker, more opaque strokes, giving a sense of volume and form. The way Wegener has captured the light as it filters through the trees and illuminates the figures is particularly striking. It's like she's not just painting what she sees, but also what she feels. Wegener reminds me of Tamara de Lempicka, another artist who embraced ambiguity and celebrated the complexities of female identity. Both artists challenge us to question our assumptions and embrace the beauty of multiple interpretations.