Bathing Sheet 1906

Eero Järnefelt made this painting of a bather with oil on canvas at some point, but we don't know exactly when. There's something really satisfying about how Järnefelt handles the folds of the sheet, they're not overly fussy but they give the fabric a real sense of weight and texture, so, I think it's less about showing off technical skill and more about getting a feel for the realness of everyday life. The way he contrasts the smooth skin of the bather with the rough bark of the tree is great, too. I wonder if he was thinking about the relationship between nature and the human body. I’m reminded of other painters of his time, people like Anders Zorn. He had a similar way of capturing light on skin, but with a slightly different vibe. It’s all part of this ongoing conversation artists have with each other, across time and place.