Helle Rosen 1915

Lovis Corinth made *Helle Rosen* with oil on canvas using thick expressive marks that give us a glimpse into his process. The dominant colors are dark browns and blacks against the pale white, yellow, and pinks of the roses which are built up in layers of paint. I can only imagine what it was like for Corinth to be standing there in front of those roses, trying to capture their essence. I see him building up the surface, stroke by stroke, pushing and pulling to get it right. I love the gestural quality in his art – how he captures the falling petals and drooping heads of the roses that seem on the verge of fading away. It reminds me of other painters like Manet, who used a similar approach. There’s a clear conversation that spans across time and artistic practices. Corinth's painting feels very immediate, like he’s trying to capture a fleeting moment. The ambiguity embraces multiple readings of time and beauty.