A Garden Scene 1925

Vanessa Bell made "A Garden Scene" with what looks like oil paint, though I don’t know exactly when. The colour palette is a dreamy landscape of umber. There’s something about the way she’s applied the paint that grabs me, especially that fountain. It’s not just sitting there; it's alive, almost breathing! I am drawn to the ambiguity of the space. The way the fountain seems to bleed into the wall. Bell is a master of texture, from the smooth surfaces of the fountain to the rough edges of the draped fabric. There's a real sense of physicality here, a tactile quality that makes you want to reach out and touch the painting. Bell’s process reminds me a bit of Bonnard's—that looseness and interest in domestic scenes. Both artists encourage us to get lost in the sheer pleasure of looking.