Portrait of a Man 1917 - 1918

Konrad Mägi painted this 'Portrait of a Man', and it’s an interesting exploration of the process of looking and seeing. There’s something almost tentative in the way the paint is applied, like Mägi is feeling his way through the act of representing this person. The surface of the painting is quite smooth, but if you look closely, you can see the brushstrokes, the texture, especially in the man’s face. It's as if Mägi wanted to capture not just the likeness, but something of the person’s inner life. Look at the way the red of the tie sings out against the dark suit. It's a real key in this mostly muted palette. You know, there's something about the directness of this portrait that reminds me of Alex Katz. Both artists share a way of approaching the figure that is both intimate and a little detached, capturing the essence of their subjects without getting bogged down in excessive detail. What do you think?