The Flying Horses 1901

Maurice Prendergast made this lively watercolor painting of a carousel scene, probably outdoors, sometime in the early 20th century. Can you feel the sunshine? You can almost hear the fairground organ music. Look at how Prendergast scumbles the paint, creating a mosaic of color, with fluid brushstrokes that suggest the movement of the carousel and the excitement of the children. It must have been such a buzz. I bet Prendergast loved watching the children and painting the scene. There's a real empathy to the way he paints each figure with so much joyful color. Prendergast's approach to painting really reminds me of French artists like Bonnard and Vuillard, using color and light to capture fleeting moments of everyday life, which are really delightful. His work is part of an ongoing conversation between artists across time, inspiring new ways of seeing and representing the world.