On the Banks of the Nile 1905

Here is "On the Banks of the Nile" by Hermann Corrodi, a small-scale painting that captures a view of a mosque along the river. The colours are muted, mostly a mix of sandy beiges, pale blues and greens; it feels like a memory, faded by time. I love the detail in the way the artist has painted the reflection of the building, palm trees, and tiny figures in the water! It reminds me of being a kid, splashing about in the shallows, the world fractured and shimmering. Imagine Corrodi, carefully dabbing the canvas with his brush, trying to capture this same effect. The thin paint suggests layers of glazes, built up slowly, like sediment in a riverbed. I wonder what he was thinking as he worked on this piece? Was he there, on site, capturing the scene, or working from memory? Maybe he was inspired by other artists who painted similar landscapes, like Frederic Church or David Roberts. We artists are always in conversation with each other, riffing on ideas, borrowing techniques.