Roses 1994

Maria Bozoky made this small watercolor painting, Roses, on paper sometime in the 20th century. Her quick, transparent brushstrokes capture the light on the blooms in a way that feels both immediate and timeless. I'm drawn to how Bozoky lets the watercolor do its thing. See how the colors bleed and blend, creating soft edges and luminous shadows? It's like she's not trying to control the paint too much, but rather allowing it to express its own inherent qualities. Notice especially the confident strokes which form the body of the vase, and how they pool at the base, as if the vase were somehow melting into the table. This piece reminds me a bit of the earlier flower paintings by Emil Nolde, another artist who wasn't afraid to let the watercolor flow, and who understood that a painting is a conversation between the artist and the medium, a dance of intention and accident.