Bohemian Girl - 'Arline Avows Her Love for Thaddeus' 1910

This piece is by Byam Shaw, who lived in the late 19th and early 20th century. Here we have a dramatic scene rendered with soft, light-infused color. I see Shaw layering washes of color to create depth and atmosphere, almost like watercolor, even though it could be oil! I wonder how long it took him to build up these many translucent layers, letting each one dry before the next? There's a real sense of theatricality here, the way the figures are arranged, the deep perspective, the light streaming in from the windows, all culminating in a single shared moment. I imagine Shaw really pushing himself, going back again and again until the painting just felt right. The Old Masters have undoubtedly influenced the painting, but also, I wonder if he was looking at painters like Whistler and Sargent, who were pursuing their own version of realism. The artist’s work reminds us that artists are always in conversation with one another, building on each other’s discoveries, and challenging the status quo. It's all one big messy, beautiful, ever-evolving exploration.