Child in Red Coat 1930

Bertalan Pór made this painting, Child in Red Coat, with oil paint, we don't know when. Look at how the brushstrokes are laid down. They’re like colored chunks; a puzzle coming together. It really speaks to the fact that artmaking is a process, and this feels like one that’s very immediate. You can see the texture of the paint itself, how it’s built up layer upon layer, especially in the red coat. It's as if Pór is trying to capture not just what a coat looks like, but what it *feels* like – the weight of the fabric, the way it folds and creases. Then notice the child’s face, how those dabs of yellow and pink create a delicate, almost fragile expression. It's quite wonderful. Pór reminds me of Paula Modersohn-Becker, they both share a fascination with the human form. What I love about art is that it's always evolving, always in conversation, always open to interpretation.