Anne Estelle Rice in Paris (Closerie des lilas) 1907

John Duncan Fergusson’s ‘Anne Estelle Rice in Paris’ is a painted portrait of a woman, likely made with oils. The brushwork here is really something, it's loose and expressive, but it still feels grounded. Look at how he’s used these big, confident strokes to build up the form of her face and hat. It's not about precision, it's about capturing a feeling, a moment. Then you’ve got this almost jarring use of colour – green on the face? It shouldn't work, but it does! The blues, whites, and pinks create a sense of light and air, almost as if the whole scene is shimmering. There's this real tension between abstraction and figuration. I love how Fergusson uses these visible brushstrokes to create a sense of movement and energy, but also to remind us that this is just paint on canvas. In a way I am reminded of the boldness of someone like Alice Neel. The realness is what comes through, not some academic ideal. Ultimately, this piece is about seeing and feeling, not just looking.