Nu sur fond bleu 1924

Marcelle Cahn made this painting, "Nu sur fond bleu," with, what looks like, oil paint, and a bold approach to color and form. The palette feels restricted, but within that, there’s this soft, almost powdery texture, that speaks to a process of layering and gentle blending. Check out the way the blue of the background kind of bleeds into the figure. It’s not about hard edges; it’s more like the forms are emerging, or dissolving. The red of the lips is like a tiny power surge, which gives the piece a focal point and a sense of energy. I find that particular mark really interesting as it relates to the whole. This reminds me a little of some of Alexej von Jawlensky’s portraits, where the face becomes a field for exploring color and expression. It's like Cahn is in conversation with her peers, asking similar questions about how painting can capture not just what we see, but how we feel and experience the world. Isn’t art just one long conversation anyway?