Roses 1914

Émilie Charmy made this painting of roses, with what looks like oil paint and a brush, but mostly with intuition, I would guess. I love that the roses, painted with soft pinks and reds, are so casually arranged in the vase, like a fleeting moment captured in time. There’s this thick, juicy brushstroke that makes up one of the petals, it’s like Charmy is saying, “Here, look at this burst of color and form!” She must have known exactly what she was doing, each stroke is so deliberate, so sure. It makes me think about other painters like, Suzanne Valadon, who were also capturing the everyday with such vibrancy and honesty. You can almost feel them breathing as they painted. Painting is an exchange, you know? Charmy's Roses are a vibrant reminder of that shared language. It’s a beautiful, open-ended conversation across time, all about the messy, joyful act of seeing and feeling.