Flower Sketch for The Enchanted Garden 1916

This oil on canvas sketch, *Flower Sketch for The Enchanted Garden*, was made by John William Waterhouse at an unknown date. What I love is the way Waterhouse is searching for form with colour and light. I’m drawn to the almost chaotic way the textures are built. He really lets the paint work, see how the heavy brushstrokes leave peaks and troughs across the surface, almost like he’s sculpting rather than painting. Then notice the subtle greys and greens, with tiny touches of red, all set against that deep brown, creating a depth that feels infinite. I'm particularly struck by the blooms clustered at the top right, they’re like little explosions of light, a focal point, a place for the eye to rest. It’s a study, an experiment, a peek into the mind of the artist at work. In a way, it reminds me of some of Corot's landscapes; that same pursuit of light and atmosphere. It’s a piece that celebrates process over product, the journey over the destination.