At the Water's Edge c. 1890

Editor: Here we have Paul Cézanne's "At the Water's Edge," created around 1890 using watercolor and painting techniques. It has such a dreamlike quality. What do you see in this piece? Curator: What strikes me is the blatant visibility of the labor involved. Notice the application of watercolor—the individual strokes, the visible layering. It's not about creating a perfect illusion, but about showcasing the *process* of depicting the water's edge. Editor: So you're focusing on how it was made rather than what it depicts? Curator: Precisely! Consider the context: Cézanne, part of the Post-Impressionist movement, challenged the established academic painting norms. This "unfinished" quality—visible in the brushwork, the underpainting, and the chosen materiality—becomes a statement about the *act* of painting itself, moving away from solely representing nature. The materiality speaks to that end. Editor: I never really thought of brushstrokes as a form of labor, but that makes sense. Does the use of watercolor specifically contribute to this? Curator: Absolutely. Watercolor, often associated with sketching and preparatory studies, takes center stage. By choosing this "lesser" medium, Cézanne elevates the handmade aspect of the work, almost demystifying artistic skill. It moves painting closer to the realm of craft. What about you? How does this lens shift your initial interpretation of the dreamlike quality? Editor: I guess it feels more… deliberate now. Like the dreaminess comes from the careful build-up of translucent layers. Thanks! I’ll be looking at brushstrokes more carefully going forward. Curator: Likewise. I may not overlook watercolor's atmospheric impact in a work like this anymore.