Vase on a Chair (Italian Jar) 1918

Béla Czóbel made this painting of a vase on a chair with visible brushstrokes in warm, earthy tones. I can imagine him building up the image through layers, constantly adjusting and responding to what's already on the canvas, shifting between observation and invention. What was Czóbel thinking about as he painted? Maybe he was thinking about Cezanne, who also painted humble, everyday objects, or Morandi, who made paintings of bottles and pots. The texture of the paint is kind of thick, like butter, which gives the surface a tactile quality. Look at the dark lines around the vase, how they wobble and dance, giving the jar a kind of wobbly, imperfect presence. Artists are always talking to each other across time, picking up on each other’s ideas, and pushing them in new directions. Painting is all about this exchange, embracing the messy, uncertain process of seeing and feeling. It is an ongoing conversation that never ends.