Maritime Landscape 1905

Magnus Enckell made this watercolour of a Maritime Landscape and right away I see soft washes of grey, blue and brown swirling together, describing the edges of the land as it meets the sea. You can almost feel Enckell out there on the shore with the paper and brush, watching the clouds roll in, capturing a fleeting moment. I wonder if he had to work quickly to capture the scene before the weather changed! There’s an urgency in the marks, in the way the paint bleeds and drips, that makes me think so. Look at how the dark contour lines define the shapes. They are bold and kind of wobbly and seem to echo the rhythmic motion of the water. It's like he's not just painting what he sees but also what he feels. He lets the watercolour do its thing, embracing its unpredictable nature. It’s like he is in a dialogue with the medium itself, responding to its nuances and quirks. I see him in conversation with many landscape painters, Turner, Whistler, maybe even someone like Constable. We are all inspired by those who came before.