View over the Estuary, Harfleur 1903

Lucien Pissarro made ‘View over the Estuary, Harfleur’ with gentle touches of small brushstrokes and muted tones of greens, browns, and grays, capturing a quiet landscape scene. I can only imagine Lucien, standing there, taking in the view. The dabs of paint are like little thoughts, each one considered but also part of a larger feeling. See how the paint isn't trying to trick you into thinking it's real life, but it is all about being paint, about the colors and how they sit next to each other. The way he builds up the layers, it’s almost like he’s building up a memory. The overall feeling reminds me of other landscape painters like Corot, who were also trying to capture a sense of place, but in their own way. It's like a conversation that artists have across time, each one adding their voice to the mix. It's a reminder that painting is about feeling and seeing, and how we make sense of the world in our own imperfect, beautiful ways.