Maria

• Kees van Dongen (1877–1968)
• 1907–1910
• Oil on canvas
• Robert Lehman Collection, 1975
• (1975.1.230)

Kees van Dongen moved in the bohemian circles of early twentieth-century Paris. In this work, he emphasized the sitter’s large eyes and dark eyebrows, which confront the viewer directly. Using vivid primary colors, he created a brilliant and sensuous atmosphere that reflects the hallmarks of Fauvism and Expressionism. The emerald green applied to the neck contrasts sharply with the red garment, while the bold, dynamic brushstrokes of the lattice-patterned sleeve lend the painting a striking intensity.