Still life with plant, lemon and orange 1906

Paula Modersohn-Becker made this still life with plant, lemon and orange with oil on canvas. You can really see each brushstroke, building up these forms like a kid playing with clay. I wonder what she was thinking as she worked on this? The thick, textured surface makes me think about the physicality of painting – the way the brush moves across the canvas, each stroke building up the image. I can almost feel the weight of the paint, the pressure of her hand. Look at that orange, it’s not just orange, is it? There's a real conversation going on between the colors - the way she lays down the pigment, the way she defines the planes and the shadow. Artists are always in conversation with one another, building on the ideas of those who came before. Painting embraces ambiguity, inviting multiple interpretations and meanings. It's not about fixed readings, but about opening up a space for exploration and discovery.