Pepita 1917

Robert Henri painted "Pepita" with oil on canvas and, looking at it, I get a real sense of the artist at work. I love how Henri uses thick brushstrokes to build up Pepita’s form, especially in the bold strokes of pink that make up her top. He's not trying to hide the process; he's celebrating it. The paint is applied so directly, it feels like you could reach out and touch it. The background is just as alive, a swirl of green, brown, and white that somehow makes her presence even stronger. Look at the way he captures the light on her face, the subtle blush on her cheeks, it's just gorgeous. You can see the influence of painters like Manet in his direct, no-nonsense approach. Henri taught his students to paint what they saw, not what they thought they should see, and you can feel that in every brushstroke here. It’s this honesty that makes the painting so captivating.