Theologist 1907

Osman Hamdi painted "Theologist" with oil, and you can see, he’s really into rendering light and texture. Look at the way the light hits the yellow robe. It’s not just a flat wash of color, but layers of slightly different yellows and browns that give it depth and weight. Then there’s the rug—Hamdi goes all in, making the colors vibrant and creating the impression of a detailed design without actually painting every single knot. I’m drawn to the scholar’s turban; the fabric looks so soft and thick, you want to reach out and touch it. The way the brushstrokes are handled make the folds look almost sculptural. And that little stack of books on the shelf? Each one is like a tiny painting in itself. It reminds me a little of Rembrandt. It’s like Hamdi is saying, hey, even the everyday stuff can be beautiful if you really look at it. I love how painting can be both about ideas and about the sheer pleasure of seeing.