Untitled 

This painting, by Paul Ranson, uses thin layers of oil paint on canvas to create a dense, almost woven texture. The materials are traditional, but his application isn't. Ranson was a key figure in the Nabi movement, a group of artists who were interested in spirituality and symbolism. Their name translates roughly from Hebrew as "prophets". They didn't want to just represent reality; they wanted to tap into something deeper. You see that here in the stylized figures and the dreamlike landscape. The Nabi artists were especially inspired by printmaking and tapestry, and that's clear here in the flat planes of color. Ranson's painting process involved building up these layers, allowing the colors to subtly blend and shift. This was slow, deliberate work, quite different from the quick, gestural brushstrokes of Impressionism. It's a kind of labor that invites contemplation, asking us to look beyond the surface and consider the symbolic meaning embedded within. This painting reminds us that art is not just about what we see, but also about the time, the skill, and the intention that goes into making it.