Early Morning - Summertime 1920

Rose O'Neill made this painting, Early Morning - Summertime, with oils, and what looks like a very delicate touch. It’s pretty, right? I love how she’s captured this lady in a moment of calm. You can almost feel the summer heat and hear the birds singing outside. The brushstrokes are feathery and light, like she barely touched the canvas. Imagine O’Neill in her studio, squinting in the sun, trying to catch the way the light filtered through those leaves outside the window. The way she’s echoed the pattern of the flowered curtains in the floral throw, is just lovely. And those blues! I mean, she could have used any color for the trim on that robe, but she chose this hazy blue, which makes it look like the lady is floating. It reminds me of Berthe Morisot, who was amazing at painting women, you know, like, really seeing them, with all their complexity. Artists are always looking at each other's work, it’s like a conversation that never ends!