Portrait of Tadeusz Boy-żeleński 1907

Leon Wyczółkowski painted this portrait of Tadeusz Boy-żeleński, using oil on canvas, and you can see how he's really working the surface, digging in there. It's not just a picture; it’s a thing, an object, a record of its own making. The dark hues create a somber mood, but then there’s this spark of light on the face and hand, pulling you in. Look at the way the paint is dabbed and swirled in the background. It’s like Wyczółkowski is wrestling with the form, trying to capture something elusive about his subject. The guy's got this world-weary expression, hand to his head, and you can almost feel the weight of his thoughts. There is something similar in the work of the slightly later painter Bonnard; both artists make paintings that feel like they have been lived in. Anyway, art’s all about seeing, feeling, and making connections, right?