Etude: "hero's mother" 1947

Mariam Aslamazian made this painting, Etude: "hero's mother", with oil on canvas. I can only imagine the multiple layers of color and brushstrokes, built up over time, to create this portrait. The expressions are just so intense! I'm thinking about Aslamazian, maybe stepping back from the canvas, squinting her eyes, and then coming back in with another layer of paint to build up the faces. I'm particularly drawn to the woman in the center with the red headscarf. Her gaze is direct, and her eyes seem to hold a deep sorrow, but also a resilience. You know, it makes me think about how artists are always in conversation with each other, across time and space, inspired by what has come before, and pushing the boundaries of what's possible. Painting is a process of discovery and ambiguity, with room for many ideas.