Broom, Le Brusq 1925

Lucien Pissarro made this landscape, Broom, Le Brusq with small brushstrokes of yellow, green, and brown—it feels like the work of a painter thinking slowly, carefully, about how to make an impression of a place, its light, and its forms. I sympathize with Lucien—standing in a field, trying to capture the essence of nature. I wonder if he struggled with the wind or the changing light, the little battles of plein air painting. I imagine him squinting, mixing paints, and stepping back to assess each stroke, wanting to do justice to the scene before him. See how the brushstrokes seem to mimic the textures of the foliage, creating a tapestry of marks? I like the way the yellow blooms pop against the muted greens and browns, creating a sense of depth and atmosphere. These dabs of colour remind me of the Impressionists, like his father Camille, but he brings something unique. Artists, like Lucien, engage in a dialogue with the past and present, drawing inspiration from those who came before while forging their own path, their own way of seeing and feeling. Painting is just that, seeing and feeling.