Portret mężczyzny w kapeluszu z cygarem 1930

Tadeusz Makowski made this portrait of a man with a cigar and a hat with oil on canvas. It seems like the painting came into being through a process of layering and adjusting, with each stroke building on the last. The way the artist has applied the paint is quite thick and textured, which gives the portrait a real sense of depth and physicality. I’m imagining Makowski standing in front of the canvas, brush in hand, really thinking about how each mark can communicate something about this guy's character. The exaggerated features, like that long nose, almost feel like a playful caricature. It's like he's not just painting a likeness, but also trying to capture something about the essence of the sitter, maybe even with a bit of humor. This piece feels like it’s part of an ongoing conversation among painters across time, where each artist takes inspiration from those who came before while also pushing the boundaries of the medium in their own way.