Beethoven 1928

Felice Casorati made this painting, Beethoven, with a kind of eerie precision, not unlike what I try to do when I’m building up my own pictures. There's a restrained palette at play; everything is muted, chalky, which gives it this otherworldly feeling, like a memory or a dream. I’m drawn to the way Casorati treats the surface. It’s so smooth, almost like fresco, but there’s a density to it. Look closely at the figure’s white dress, see how the subtle gradations of tone give it form. It’s not just white; there are layers, shadows, hints of other colors peeking through. This is where painting becomes more than just representation; it’s about the materiality, the tactile quality of the paint itself. The light, the almost surreal atmosphere reminds me of Balthus. I love how Casorati embraces ambiguity, inviting us to bring our own associations and interpretations to the table.