Lady with a Parasol 1921

Robert Lewis Reid painted 'Lady with a Parasol' with what looks like the softest pastel, maybe around the turn of the century. I imagine Reid squinting in the sunlight, trying to get the light just right on her face and the delicate fabric of that parasol. The way he's layered the colors, especially in the pinks and whites of her dress and the umbrella, gives it this luminous quality, like she's glowing from within. It's like he's not just painting a lady with a parasol, but capturing a fleeting moment, a whisper of light and color. I get a sense of intimacy here, something fleeting and special. I think of other painters, like Berthe Morisot, who were also trying to capture these ephemeral moments of light and color. There is a whole conversation happening between these artists across time. Painting feels like such an ongoing exploration, doesn’t it?