Donatello Allegory 1997

Frank Mason made this painting, Donatello Allegory, with oil. Look at the way he’s gone to work here. The paint isn’t blended or fussed over too much, but direct and to the point. The composition is structured around this triangle of figures. What I love about Mason's handling of the paint is how he allows the materiality of it to be present. You can really see the textures and traces of the brushstrokes. It reminds me of the immediacy you find in someone like Manet. Check out the crimson brushstrokes of the drape on the right. You can see the layering and the direction of the marks, which gives it a real sense of energy and movement. You know, art doesn't have to be perfect to be good. Sometimes, the most interesting things happen when artists embrace the messiness and uncertainty of the process.