Walchensee Landschaft 1922

This is Lovis Corinth’s “Walchensee Landschaft”, a watercolor that seems to have been made in one sitting. I love the way it captures a sense of place through these washes of diluted pigment. See how Corinth lets the watercolor bleed and blend, allowing happy accidents to dictate the composition? It's this embrace of the unexpected that gives the painting its lively feel. Look closely at the way the blue in the lake pulls forward from the background. It’s all about the way the watery pigment pools and settles on the page. The brushstrokes aren't labored; they’re quick, intuitive gestures that respond to the texture of the paper and the flow of the water. For me, it’s the simplicity and directness of this approach that allows the painting to feel so immediate and real. It reminds me a little of Cezanne's watercolors, with that similar sense of lightness and air. It’s like they’re both saying, "Let the painting do its thing".