Portrait 

Sanyu painted this portrait using oil on canvas, and the painting style looks deceptively simple. It's all about flatness. The face is pink, the hair is black. The background, light. But look closer. See how Sanyu uses the brush to drag the paint, leaving a trace of each stroke? The face is built up with layers of color, giving the face an almost porcelain-like glow. It's a delicate, highly skilled balancing act. Sanyu came from a wealthy family in China, and moved to Paris in the 1920s, and never had to work to support himself. He socialized with many artists, but remained independent. Sanyu did not want to replicate the kind of painting he could have learned in China, instead he tried to find his own authentic style. It's the kind of careful process that requires time and care – and the liberty not to worry about money. This portrait reminds us that the most striking art often arises from unexpected places, blurring the lines between tradition and modernism.