Noli Me Tangere 1992

This painting by Frank Mason, titled Noli Me Tangere, probably done in oil, has a really interesting way of mixing loose brushwork with more defined forms. It’s like he's showing us the process of seeing. Look at the texture in the background, the way the paint is scumbled and layered. It's almost like looking into a dark cave, all moody and atmospheric. Then your eye hits the figure of Christ in the foreground, and the brushwork gets a little tighter, a little more focused. It's not super realistic, but just enough to suggest a form. The light around him feels almost palpable, doesn’t it? The way Mason handles the edges, letting them dissolve and blend, makes the whole thing feel dreamlike. I see a kinship with someone like Corot, who was also interested in capturing light and atmosphere, but with a more spiritual bent. Mason is not just showing us a scene but giving us an experience, something deeply personal and kind of mystical.