Portrait of Ioulia Partheni 1911

Konstantinos Parthenis painted this image of Ioulia Partheni, likely in Athens, using oil on canvas. The colors in this portrait are so understated; browns and greens, a very muted palette, almost like a memory. Up close you can see the weave of the canvas, as Parthenis built up these sheer layers of paint, he wasn’t trying to hide anything, it’s all part of the process. If you look closely at the area around her cheek, see how the green almost glows through the flesh tone, giving her skin this radiant quality. It's these small, almost accidental moments, that make the painting so alive, and so emotionally resonant. The softness and restraint here reminds me a little of Corot, but with this added sense of dreaminess. Ultimately, painting is about embracing ambiguity and the endless possibilities of interpretation, something Parthenis clearly understood.