Portrait de Jean-Jacques Weiss 1889

This is Jean Béraud’s painting of Jean-Jacques Weiss, made with oil on canvas. Notice how Béraud allows the brown underpainting to peek through, especially in the background. This wasn’t just a cost-saving measure, it was actually a way to create a sense of depth and atmosphere, giving the portrait an unfinished, immediate quality. The brushstrokes here are quite visible. Look closely at the sitter's coat, and you can see how the paint has been applied in broad, almost gestural strokes. The visible mark making invites us to imagine the artist at work. Béraud skillfully captures the texture and weight of the man’s clothing, and though he employs traditional art materials and processes, his focus on the tangible materiality of paint allows him to show the social status of his sitter. Ultimately, Portrait de Jean-Jacques Weiss reminds us that every artwork is the result of countless decisions made by the artist, each one contributing to the overall effect.