A Wash House
1900
From the collection of Statens Museum for Kunst
1900
From the collection of Statens Museum for Kunst
This photo shows a dim room where two people work with laundry. One stands by a long table, scrubbing clothes in a tub, while the other bends over a basin, handling wet fabric. Buckets of soapy water and damp clothes sit on the floor. A window in the back lets in faint light, and the walls look worn. The brushstrokes here are thick and textured, almost like paint—but this is a photo. The lighting is dramatic, with dark shadows and bright spots on the faces and clothes. Try looking up impasto to see how artists use thick paint for texture.
