Cordes 1912

André Lhote made this painting of Cordes, probably in oils, at an unknown date. The colors feel muted and earthy, not quite matching reality, but hinting at something more profound. There's a real tension in how Lhote builds the image. The paint is applied in these flat, almost geometric planes, but they never quite resolve into a perfectly clear picture. Look at the dark, almost black shape in the foreground. It's just a blob, really, but it throws the whole composition off balance, making you question what you're seeing. The painting reminds me a little of some of the early Braque landscapes, but with a touch more warmth. It’s like he's not just showing us a place, but also a way of seeing, a way of breaking down the world into its essential parts and then piecing it back together in a new way. It celebrates the act of looking and the endless possibilities of painting.