Man Reading in the Studio (Self Portrait) 1939

Kmetty János made this Self Portrait, or Man Reading in the Studio, using strokes of color to build up this intimate scene. There is a looseness to the way the paint is applied, as if the artist is trying to capture a fleeting moment. Looking at the texture, you can see the physicality of the paint, thick in some areas, thin in others, creating a surface that's both rough and delicate. The way the light hits the yellow hat on the table, feels particularly special. It's as if Kmetty is interested in the way light and color interact and change depending on the time of day. This reminds me of Vuillard, who also painted these intimate domestic interiors. But Kmetty has his own thing going on, this feeling of immediacy and that art is about capturing a moment, rather than striving for perfection. It's this embrace of ambiguity that makes the piece so alive, inviting us to bring our own interpretations.