Girl in a Wood

One of the first paintings he subsequently makes is Girl in a wood. ‘Air’ into the composition He selects browns, yellows and greens from his ‘practical palette’, and uses the perspective frame to correctly depict the narrowing of the tree -trunks towards the background and the distances between them, so that ‘air’ is introduced into the composition. He explains to Theo that he thereby aims to ensure ‘that one can breathe and wander about in it – and smell the woods’ On his knees He most likely painted it on his knees. This is apparent from the low perspective, but research has also found that pieces of oak leaves from the forest floor have become lodged in the wet paint at the bottom of the painting.