Portrait of a Woman 1940

Maggie Laubser's portrait of a woman, painted with oils on canvas, gives us a window into a singular vision. I am immediately drawn to how the color creates such a strong, earthy presence. Just imagine Laubser at work, mixing her paints, building up layers of color to capture the essence of her sitter. There's a dance between the vibrant red of the sitter's outfit and the softer hues of her skin and the background, like a conversation happening right on the canvas. She's part of a lineage, really, picking up where artists like Paula Modersohn-Becker left off, pushing the boundaries of portraiture and expression. It's a reminder that art isn't made in a vacuum, but rather in an ongoing conversation, each artist riffing off the ideas and innovations of those who came before.