The Mad Woman of Douai 1918

William Orpen made this painting, called 'The Mad Woman of Douai' using oil on canvas, and I find it deeply moving. Just imagine him standing there, brush in hand, amidst the rubble and sorrow, trying to make sense of it all. There's this quiet, muted palette – blues and greys that speak of loss and devastation, but at the same time, there's a kind of tenderness in how the light falls on the figures. I can almost feel the weight of the paint as he layered it on, each stroke a decision, a question, a search for some kind of understanding. The texture of the painting is palpable, isn't it? You can see the marks of the brush, the artist's hand, the labor of trying to make something out of nothing. I wonder if Orpen was looking at Goya when he made this? I am inspired by artists that are inspired by other artists. It reminds me that we're all in conversation, all trying to make sense of this crazy world through color and form. It's a deeply human thing, this need to create, to express, to connect.