Profile of a Woman 1932

Helene Schjerfbeck painted ‘Profile of a Woman’ with oils, using a limited palette that really sings. The colour handling reveals how artmaking is an ongoing process of refinement. Schjerfbeck's painting feels like a memory, or a half-remembered dream. Look at the way the browns and ochres wash over the canvas, creating a sense of warmth, and also melancholy. Her brushstrokes are spare, almost hesitant, but they build to create the soft contours of the woman’s face. Notice how the thin paint almost dissolves into the canvas. Then there’s that tiny dab of red for the lips – it’s like a little spark of life in a sea of muted tones. It's such a simple gesture, but it speaks volumes. Schjerfbeck's pared-down style reminds me of Agnes Martin, or maybe even some of Morandi’s still lifes. Just goes to show how painting is like a conversation across time. It’s never finished, and it’s always open to new interpretations.