"European School (19th-20th Centuries) - Rasputin"
- Oil on canvas. - The portrait in question, of small dimensions (33 x 19 cm), is part of the tradition of late Impressionism, with clear influences from the avant-garde movements that began to emerge at the beginning of the 20th century. The work presents a man with an elongated face, whose features, although recognizable, seem distracted by the fluidity of the brushstrokes characteristic of the period. The subject's expression is introspective, almost distant, which gives the painting an air of mystery and reticence. The treatment of the beard, dense and with irregular contours, reflects a mastery in the use of quick and loose brushstrokes, allowing the texture of the skin and facial hair to blend into an almost ephemeral vision, captured in a fleeting moment. This approach evokes the intention of Impressionist artists to capture the transience of the moment, an effort to immortalize light and atmosphere rather than the figure itself. The background of the composition, slightly diffuse, lacks clear definition, which disconnects the subject from the surrounding space and focuses attention on the man. The colors used are typical of the period, dominated by soft and earthy tones, but subtle touches of blue and yellow can be seen, giving an impression of brightness and depth. This palette, often used in impressionist portraits of the transition to the twentieth century, seeks not only to represent the figure, but to convey a sense of intangibility, of an inner world that seems to escape the viewer's reach. In terms of style, the portrait emphasizes the search to capture the essence of the person rather than a precise and academic representation of their appearance. The atmosphere of mystery that surrounds the subject, combined with the use of color and light, make it a work that defies simple observation, inviting a deeper reflection on identity and the transience of being. It is a clear example of how artists of this period began to abandon the rigidity of traditional portraiture to experiment with new ways of representing subjective reality, paving the way for more abstract explorations that would dominate the following decades. - Unframed image dimensions: 34 x 19 cm / 38 x 23 cm with beautiful dark wooden frame. - It comes from a private collection of paintings in Paris.