River Avon 

Algernon Talmage painted this landscape, River Avon, with oil on canvas. Oil paint is a versatile medium, comprised of pigment suspended in drying oil, usually linseed. Talmage applied the paint in loose brushstrokes, capturing the atmospheric qualities of the landscape. Notice the subtle variations in tone, achieved through layering and blending. This technique would have allowed him to build up depth and luminosity, conveying the reflective qualities of the water and the shifting light in the sky. The viscosity of oil paint allows for both impasto and glazing, which helps to create textured surfaces and luminous effects. Skilled painters like Talmage often made their own paints, grinding pigments and mixing them with oil to achieve specific colors and consistencies. This process was labor-intensive but it also gave artists greater control over the final result. Considering the amount of work involved in the production process reminds us of the value in the materiality of art.