The entrance to harbour Sauzon 1905

This sketchy harbor view was made by Maxime Maufra in 1905, probably in situ, with pencil and some watercolour. It feels as though we’re right there with Maufra, as he’s trying to capture the scene. The marks are so present and immediate. I love the colour palette, that warm, almost dirty, beige of the paper with little pops of primary colour. The buildings are rendered in blocks of white, grey, and red, while tiny boats are accented with red and blue. I am drawn to the light, reflected in the water. See that little patch of blue on the right? That one, lone highlight in ultramarine. It's a distillation of the way light hits the water, and it opens up the whole composition. It’s all about the surface, the quick sketch, but then you look closer and you see these very clever decisions being made. Maufra seems to be following in the footsteps of the Impressionists, but with his own, more personal, and expressive language. Like James Ensor, he's finding something new within an established tradition. It’s about openness and embracing the beauty of uncertainty.