Road at Hérisson 1911

Henri-Joseph Harpignies made this wash on paper, "Road at Hérisson," and you can almost see the rain about to fall. Looking at these grey marks, I imagine Harpignies standing there, squinting at the scene. I can almost feel him dabbing the paper with a wet brush, diluting the ink to create these hazy, atmospheric effects. The strokes are loose, free, but they still capture the essence of the landscape. Check out how the road sort of disappears into the distance. It makes you wonder what’s around the bend, doesn’t it? I can feel the kinship with Corot. There's a similar love for quiet, understated scenes, a feeling that you are standing with the painter. Artists are always in conversation, borrowing and riffing off each other’s ideas across time. This piece reminds me that there are an infinite number of ways of seeing, thinking, and experiencing the world. It feels like a place of endless possibilities.