Journey's End 1913

Abanindranath Tagore made this painting, Journey's End, using watercolor, likely on paper. Look how the camel is painted in these soft, muted browns, greys and creams, all these subtle gradations, and how the background is this flat, hazy red. It gives this feeling of a hot, dry landscape, like a memory fading away. The texture here is so delicate, almost like the paint was breathed onto the surface. You can see how the camel’s form is built up with these thin washes of color. It's like the artist is trying to capture not just the way the camel looks, but also the feeling of exhaustion, the weight of its burden. Notice the dark shadows under the camel; the way the paint pools there gives a sense of the animal’s heaviness. Journey's End reminds me a little of Odilon Redon, but with a touch of Indian sensibility. Both artists use color to evoke a mood. Ultimately, the painting feels more like a question than an answer.