Untitled (Mother and Child) 1943

Bernard Karfiol made this tender painting of a mother and child on a sheet of paper, we don't know exactly when. The painting is constructed of soft color washes of muted greens, browns, and reds. Look at the surface, you can see the way the paint has settled into the fibers of the page. I can imagine Karfiol layering thin coats of paint one after another, allowing each layer to dry before applying the next. See how the colors overlap to create depth and form. It's like the painting has slowly emerged through trial, error, and a certain amount of intuition. I wonder if he had a child? It seems like he may have been reaching for something universal about the bond between mother and child. You can really feel the embrace between the two figures. I particularly love the tilt of the mother's head and the softness of her closed eyes. It's a really subtle but powerful gesture. It reminds me a little of some of the Early Renaissance painters. We're all looking at each other's paintings! We're all taking and giving from one another across time.