Portrait of Lola Leder in fur coat, sitting 1922

Max Liebermann painted this portrait of Lola Leder, in what looks like oil on canvas, using soft, muted tones and visible brushstrokes, which gives it a wonderful painterly feel. The materiality of this painting really grabs me; you can almost feel the plushness of the fur coat and the smooth texture of her dress. Look at the way Liebermann captures light – the subtle highlights on the fur, the delicate sheen on her shoes. It’s all about the surface, the way the paint sits on the canvas, creating depth and volume with minimal fuss. I love how he suggests the details of her face and clothing with just a few confident strokes of the brush, especially the glint of the ring on her finger which suggests a lot with very little. Liebermann's approach reminds me a little of Manet, in its casual elegance and attention to the details of everyday life. Both artists seemed to understand that art is not about creating perfect illusions but about capturing the fleeting moments of experience, revelling in its ambiguities.