Katharine Gray Dodge 1910

Frank W. Benson made this portrait of Katharine Gray Dodge at the turn of the century, using brushes and oil paint to create an image that's both formal and, well, pretty darn sweet. I can imagine Benson in his studio, squinting at Katharine, then dabbing the canvas with pinks and whites to capture her youthfulness. See how the brushstrokes are soft, almost melting into each other, to give it a hazy, dreamlike quality? The way he's captured the lilac in her lap – such a delicate rendering of those tiny petals. It makes me think about how painters like Benson were playing with light and color, inspired by the Impressionists but doing their own thing. You know? Painters are constantly looking at each other's work, riffing off ideas, pushing boundaries, and trying new things. It’s one big conversation across time.