Woman Resting by Tina Blau

A critic of nineteenth century art would reject the idea of a woman with genius, being so bold as to say: “A woman with genius? The thought gives one the shivers. Unhealable sickness, a kind of elephantitis.” This is but a portion of the backlash that Tina Blau had to face as a woman; however, the unwavering support and love of her father, Simon Blau, ingrained resilience and fortitude into the young artist. When she was only sixteen and homesick from studying abroad, the doting father wrote to the young girl, saying, “If you really want to become an artist, you have to learn to surmount problems.” Taking this advice with her throughout her career, Blau would become the sole female and Jewish artist of her generation to receive recognition and acclaim. 

Shoulders hunched and bracing herself with one arm, an elderly woman takes a moment of rest before returning back to work. Blau’s careful shading of the face emphasizes the bags under the old woman’s eyes and the sagging skin of her neck and arms, implying a long life that has worn on her body. Draped in various cloths of soft blue, yellow, white, brown, and a fading black, this piece displays Blau’s mastery of color and impressionistic brushstrokes.