Woman with Stole 1929

Jean Dupas painted 'Woman with Stole' with oil on canvas, and what strikes me is how the textures feel so intentional and considered. You can almost feel the plushness of the stole against the smoothness of the woman's skin. Looking closely, you can see how Dupas has used tiny brushstrokes to build up the surface of the fur, creating a sense of depth and volume. It is a really controlled way of building up texture, and the stark contrast between the softness of the fur and the almost mask-like face gives the painting an eerie quality. I think it almost evokes a photographic quality in the skin, perhaps referencing his illustrative work. The eerie feeling reminds me of Balthus’s portraits, particularly in how they capture a sense of unsettling beauty and psychological tension. Art is like a conversation across time, isn't it? A constant back-and-forth between artists, with each one building on the ideas of those who came before.