Two girls standing on the birch trunk 1902

Paula Modersohn-Becker made this painting of two girls standing on a birch trunk with oil on canvas. What strikes me first is the colour, it's so muted, mostly blues and browns, like faded denim. The paint has a life of its own, especially in the background; it's scrubbed on like she's trying to rub out the landscape. And the way she's built up the birch trunk, it's not just white, it's a whole symphony of greys and creams, like a worn-out shoe that’s had a life. Look at the way she painted the dress on the right, the marks are laid down with such certainty and a kind of clumsy elegance. This reminds me of Morandi and how he could make a still life with bottles feel like a portrait. In the end, it’s all just paint pushed around, but it's how you push it that makes it sing.