Woman’s Bust 1920 - 1925

Arnold Peter Weisz-Kubínčan made this painting, Woman’s Bust, with oils, though we don’t know when exactly. Look at the way he’s applied the paint, quite thinly in places, allowing the tones underneath to create shadows and depth, yet in other areas, particularly around the face, it’s dabbed on a bit thicker. You can almost feel the pressure of the brush against the canvas, a real sense of the artist thinking through the process of painting. The colour palette is quite muted, a symphony of greens, browns, and pinks, but it works, right? There’s a vulnerability to her gaze, and the colours make you feel like you’re looking at a real person, someone who’s been through something. See that red mark on her forehead? It's the slightest detail, but it adds a layer of complexity to the portrait. I’m reminded of Paula Modersohn-Becker and those artists that explore the inner lives of their subjects, suggesting painting as an ongoing dialogue, a conversation that transcends time and space.