"About 19 when he painted this with striking realism; he didn’t idealise his model. I love that the most detailed parts are the skin folds of the wrist and thumb on the very edge of the painting. Appalled to learn his contemporaries-like ours-were disturbed by those small imperfections (hints of cellulite, stretch marks, flab, etc.) that make this study jump at you, seduce you. Pure beauty is cold and Valloton knew it. [Edited for brevity]. http://bernardperroud.com/2012/03/09/felix-vallotton-7/