Porträt der Tochter Mary c. 1912

Franz von Stuck made this lovely portrait of his daughter, Mary, with oils, though it feels more like a sketch. Look at the quick, almost wispy way he's described her hair, and the soft pinks on her cheeks. It's like he’s trying to capture a fleeting moment. Up close, you can really see the texture. The paint isn’t thick, but it’s definitely there, creating this gentle, almost dreamlike quality. I'm drawn to the curls framing her face—each one seems to have its own little story, a swirl of brown and amber that catches the light. It feels like a loving and careful rendering, but also immediate, as if he wanted to paint what was in front of him. Von Stuck was a Symbolist, preoccupied with mythological, sometimes unsettling subjects. This portrait feels very different, tender and intimate, and reminds me a little of how Lucian Freud painted his family, but with a softer touch. It shows how artists can turn to the familiar and find a whole new way of seeing.