The West Church (also known as Fountain at the West Church, Boston) 1901

Maurice Prendergast created "The West Church," also known as "Fountain at the West Church, Boston," with watercolor, and it’s now in a private collection. Prendergast’s mark-making, the way he builds up a scene with these light, feathery touches, feels like a dance. It’s a method that embraces the unpredictable flow of watercolor. The church is not just a building but an atmosphere, a shimmering vision of brick and leafy green. Look closely, and you’ll see how he lets the watery paint pool and mingle, creating textures that mimic the dappled light filtering through the trees. The surface feels alive, like the scene is still unfolding, still in the process of becoming. That fountain, for instance, is just a few strokes of blue and white, but it conveys movement and light. It reminds me of Bonnard, another artist who knew how to capture the fleeting beauty of everyday life, turning it into something magical and profound.