Riso Homérico 1909

Lovis Corinth painted Riso Homérico with oil on canvas, but I can’t give you a date. What I can tell you is that the application of the paint is feverish, almost violent. The colours are dark and heavy, dominated by reds and browns, but there are flashes of vibrant oranges, yellows and greens. Look at the way Corinth uses texture to create a sense of turmoil, particularly in the swirling brushstrokes around the edges of the canvas. The surface is thick and uneven, as if Corinth was wrestling with the paint, each stroke alive with raw emotion. In contrast, the figures at the centre are smoothed over with a thin, almost translucent glaze. This sense of frenzied energy reminds me of Soutine, but Corinth brings his own intensity to the canvas. What’s the story, well, that’s up to you, but the ambiguity is the point. Art isn’t about easy answers. It’s about embracing the questions.