The Bather 1904

Henri Fantin-Latour made this painting, The Bather, sometime in the late 19th century, probably in his studio using oil on canvas. It’s all about the process of painting itself, I think—how it shifts and emerges through intuition, trial, and error. I sympathize with Fantin-Latour here. I imagine him thinking about other painters, especially earlier landscape artists, like Corot, or maybe even Titian, as he worked. The way the painting is structured – the figure nestled within the landscape – evokes a classical sensibility. The paint isn't too thick, but you can see the strokes, especially in the figure's back and shoulders. The painting's emotional and intellectual resonances come from these elements. The ambiguity here is great, though. Fantin-Latour inspires my own creativity – he makes me want to go back to my studio and experiment some more!