Funeral of a painter’s apprentice 1911

Jacek Malczewski painted ‘Funeral of a painter’s apprentice’ using oil on canvas. The earthy palette and hazy light speak to artmaking as something deeply rooted in the rhythms of life and death. Malczewski's process feels intuitive; look at how he teases out the figures with these short brushstrokes. They seem to emerge and recede simultaneously, which can be seen on the cart in the foreground. It’s loaded with what seem to be painting tools, brushes, palettes, and other studio stuff. The texture here is remarkable – thick and crusty in some parts, thin and transparent in others. I love how Malczewski doesn’t try to hide his process; he leaves these traces for us to follow. It reminds me of the work of Paula Modersohn-Becker. Ultimately, Malczewski seems less interested in providing answers than in raising questions, inviting us to embrace the ambiguity and endless possibilities inherent in the creative act.