Christ et Docteur 1937

Georges Rouault, in his piece Christ et Docteur, paints with a rawness that feels like a direct line to his emotions. The colors here are like stained glass, intense and separated by these heavy, dark lines. You can almost feel him pushing the paint around, carving out the shapes of the faces with thick strokes. Look at the way the yellow ochre sings against the black outlines, it’s not a pretty picture, but it’s real. That intensity of feeling, the kind of raw honesty, makes me think of German Expressionists, like Emil Nolde. They weren't trying to make something beautiful, but something true, something that gets under your skin. Rouault's figures aren't just portraits, they're like windows into a world of struggle and faith. And that's something that stays with you.