Praia De Jurujuba 1940

Alberto da Veiga Guignard made this painting of Praia De Jurujuba with oil on canvas, and looking at it, I imagine him dabbing at the canvas, building up the scene in layers. There’s this incredible tree on the right—it anchors everything. The colour palette is subtle, mostly blues and greens, with touches of white, which creates a dreamlike, hazy atmosphere. I can feel the humidity, the stillness of the afternoon. The paint is applied in short, broken strokes, giving a sense of movement and vibration to the scene. Check out the way he painted the leaves: little flicks and dashes that suggest light filtering through. What was Guignard thinking as he made this? Was he trying to capture a fleeting moment, a particular mood? The overall effect is one of gentle contemplation, a kind of quiet observation. It reminds me a bit of Corot, but with a more intimate, personal feel. I can see how other artists would be inspired by this approach, this way of seeing the world. Painting is a conversation, after all, a way of sharing what we notice.