Buds and Blossoms 1907

Willard Metcalf made Buds and Blossoms with oil on canvas, date unknown. Looking at it, I’m struck by the way the paint sort of scumbles across the surface. It feels like an activity, this painting, like Metcalf wasn't just trying to copy a scene, but was really in dialogue with the landscape as he worked. The colors are so interesting, not quite realistic, but so evocative. The greens and browns feel kind of cozy, while the blues of the water reflect the sky. The surface has this broken texture, like he was using a dry brush or a palette knife, dragging the paint and creating these little peaks and valleys. Look at the way the paint is dabbed on in the trees in the midground. It’s a riot of oranges and yellows, but it's all mixed together, blurring the lines and creating a sense of movement and light. Metcalf makes me think of someone like Childe Hassam, another American painter with a love for landscapes, but Metcalf has a way of making the painting feel more like a direct experience. It embraces a little chaos, and it's that tension that makes it so alive.