The Robe 1915

Frederick Carl Frieseke made this painting, called 'The Robe', using oil on canvas. Looking at the blues, pinks, and greens, I imagine Frieseke stepping back, squinting, and then stepping in again, trying to make the patterns shimmer and the light bounce just so. I’m always drawn to the way a painter makes something that looks easy and effortless. I wonder if Frieseke ever felt like he was wrestling with the painting? Pushing it in one direction, then another, until it finally settled into this sweet spot. The textures are built up, with the suggestion of flowers all over the image. And what about the woman? She is bathed in a soft, diffused light. The artist’s touch feels delicate. He’s capturing a fleeting moment of beauty and intimacy. Painters like Frieseke are in conversation with other artists, playing with light and color in ways that are both familiar and new. And that's what makes painting so exciting. We have an ongoing exchange of ideas across time.