In the Luxembourg Gardens 1909

Ethel Carrick made this painting, called "In the Luxembourg Gardens," with oil on canvas, and what I notice right away is the almost hasty application of paint. It's like she's capturing a fleeting moment, a memory of a sunny day. The surface has this wonderful texture, like she was really working the paint, pushing it around with a brush or maybe even a palette knife. The colors are muted, but still vibrant—a mix of earthy greens and browns with pops of white and red that bring the scene to life. Look at the figures in the foreground and the way she uses these dabs of color to suggest movement and light. Carrick reminds me a little of Bonnard, in the way she’s able to evoke the atmosphere of a place through her brushwork. And like Bonnard, she leaves things open to interpretation. This isn’t a photograph, it's a feeling. It's a slice of life that’s both specific and universal, like a song you can't quite put your finger on, but it makes you feel something real.