The Lark 1960

Hans Hofmann made this painting, The Lark, with oil on canvas, and I can just imagine the thick, buttery feel of the paint as he applied it. I'm getting a real sense of Hofmann's hand in this work, his physical presence. The color palette is really striking, a mix of warm oranges and reds, with contrasting greens and blues, with gestural marks dancing across the surface, creating a lively and energetic composition. I wonder what he was thinking as he made this painting? I see him experimenting with color relationships, pushing and pulling the paint around, trusting his intuition. That looping black line in the upper-right is so elegant! It almost looks like a signature, but it's also part of the composition, adding to the overall dynamism. You can really feel the influence of artists like Matisse here, but Hofmann brings his own unique sensibility to the work. Painting is an ongoing conversation between artists across generations. It’s about seeing and responding, feeling and expressing.