Czóbel Béla Vörös Sapkás Férfi 1922 1922

In 1922, Béla Czóbel painted this portrait of a man with, yes, a red cap. The brushstrokes feel like hunches and the colors suggest a kind of mood, a world of thought that's both tender and withdrawn. I'm thinking about the way the browns and blues create a somber atmosphere. What might Czóbel have been feeling when he was making this painting? Was he thinking about the man's life, his experiences, his inner world? I love how the artist uses the paint to almost sculpt the face, giving it a sense of weight and presence. The red cap, though, is the real star of the show, adding a pop of color and a touch of whimsy to an otherwise serious portrait. It’s like Czóbel is reminding us that even in the midst of the everyday, there's always room for a little bit of fun, a little bit of surprise. And isn't that what painting is all about, anyway?