Antiquities in Rome 1981

Maria Bozoky made this watercolour of Roman antiquities with fluid brushstrokes and freehand lines. I imagine her setting up her easel en plein air, letting the scene wash over her as she dabs blues and browns to capture its essence. There’s a spontaneity here, a lightness of touch that feels immediate and fresh. What was she thinking as she sketched those columns and arches? Did she feel the weight of history, the echoes of emperors and artists past? I feel like I'm looking at a ghost of a memory. The way Bozoky lets the paint bleed and blend reminds me of Turner, who also captured the atmosphere and emotion of a place. She's not just painting a picture, she's creating a feeling, a mood. And that's what makes it so captivating. Artists are always in conversation with each other, riffing on ideas, and pushing the boundaries of what painting can be.