On his Holidays, Norway 1901

John Singer Sargent painted this scene, On his Holidays, Norway, in oil on canvas, and it's like we're right there with him. I imagine he was out in the landscape, trying to capture a sense of light and form, of fleeting moments. The brushstrokes are so evident, almost thick, rendering the cool blues of the water and the grays of the rocks. It’s as if Sargent is saying, look at the materiality of paint! Think about the physical act of dragging paint across the canvas, how that in itself is a form of expression. The dreamy, unfocused look in the boy’s eyes, supported on one arm, communicates a sense of reverie. Sargent's work always reminds me of other painters like Manet, who were also pushing the boundaries of representation. It shows how painting, through its colors and marks, allows us to experience the world in new ways. It’s like they’re all in conversation with each other, across time.