Japanese Girl 1935

Hans Hofmann’s painting, Japanese Girl, is a symphony in blues, executed with bravura strokes of oil paint. I can almost feel the brush in my own hand as I look at it! Hofmann’s surfaces are so alive, aren’t they? There's a dance between representation and abstraction here. The figure emerges from a sea of blue, her form loosely defined by bold, energetic brushstrokes. And those strokes! Look at how the paint is applied so thickly in some areas, creating a real sense of texture. It reminds me of some of the Fauvist painters, but with an added layer of abstract expressionist intensity. It’s like he’s not just painting a girl, but also painting the act of seeing. This feels so much like Hofmann, who was always interested in pushing the boundaries of what paint could do. And, in a way, that's what art is all about, right? It’s about embracing ambiguity, exploring possibilities, and seeing the world in new and unexpected ways.