Shepherd girl in a meadow 1891

Jacek Malczewski created this painting, 'Shepherd girl in a meadow,' using oil on canvas, a common material in academic painting of his time. But it’s his gestural, almost unfinished handling of the paint that really catches the eye. See how the dabs and strokes of color give the impression of light shimmering across the meadow, and the rough, unblended patches of pigment that make up the figures? This seemingly effortless style belies the skill and labor involved in mastering oil painting techniques, and also marks a deliberate departure from traditional, highly polished realism. The energetic brushwork adds a sense of immediacy and intimacy to the scene, bringing into question traditional hierarchies between 'high art' and the everyday world. Malczewski invites us to appreciate not just the subject matter, but also the materiality and the making process itself. By doing so, he elevates the act of painting to a level of importance equal to that of the subject depicted.