Irish Boy (Thomas Cafferty) 1925

Robert Henri made this painting of an Irish Boy, Thomas Cafferty, and just look at the dark background and the way that Henri uses light to bring the boy forward. I wonder about the brushstrokes and what Henri was thinking when he made it. I imagine him, stepping back and looking at his subject, his hand moving with urgency. The paint is thinly applied in some areas and more thickly in others, building up a sense of texture and depth. I see his hand in the way the jacket is articulated with thick gestures. It's not about perfection, it's about the joy of seeing. This reminds me of other painters like John Singer Sargent, with their own unique approaches to portraiture. They were all in dialogue, pushing each other, and finding new ways to represent the world. Painting is this constant conversation across time, and each artist adds their voice to the chorus.