The Mirror 1910

Here’s Robert Lewis Reid's painting called “The Mirror”, and it's just so lovely, isn't it? I can imagine him in his studio, maybe in the late 19th century, carefully layering these dreamy blues, yellows and whites to create a soft, glowing, shimmering surface. The paint looks quite thin, which gives it a delicate, ethereal quality, especially in the woman's dress and the Japanese screen behind her. The woman’s dress is a striking and sumptuous cobalt blue, a hue which seems to capture the serenity and elegance of the piece. The painting embodies a turn-of-the-century romanticism and captures an interest in Japonisme. Reid likely looked at Whistler and other Tonalists who were inspired by Japanese prints and decorative objects. It makes me think about how artists are always looking, borrowing, and riffing off each other, creating this amazing conversation across time and space. There’s no one way to see this painting; its beauty lies in its ambiguity and openness to interpretation.