Moored Boats 1905

This watercolor called "Moored Boats" was painted by Giovanni Boldini, probably in 1905, if I read the signature correctly. It's all about washes of color and light – like, how does the air feel that day? You can almost feel the breeze in the way the paint is applied so freely. I think Boldini was out there, just responding, trying to make a record of a moment, trying to capture the fleeting effects of light and atmosphere. I’m thinking about what it's like to stand there, on location, trying to make sense of a landscape as it extends into the distance. There’s something immediate about watercolor, it's transparent, it’s fast, it’s like a sketch that holds its own as a painting. The strokes are so expressive, capturing the textures of the boats and the water. And the muted colors create a sense of calm and quiet. It reminds me of Turner, with its interest in capturing the atmospheric conditions of a place. But the hand is totally different. Boldini has a lighter touch. In the end, we all end up talking to each other through our paintings, across time.