Mount Connor near Musgrave Ranges 1956

Albert Namatjira made this watercolour painting of Mount Connor and the Musgrave Ranges sometime in the mid twentieth century. It’s interesting to see the way he builds up the forms of the landscape using washes of colour. The way he balances light and shadow is very elegant, it's a process, right? Look at how the translucent layers of paint give a sense of depth and atmosphere to the scene, like you're looking into the distance. The cool blues and purples in the mountains create a feeling of spaciousness. The warmth of the foreground anchors the composition. There's this sense of air, of possibility. Notice the trunk of the ghost gum tree. The way he’s used soft greys and whites, with hints of lavender, it feels like he’s caressing the form of the tree. Namatjira’s work shares something with the landscapes of someone like Cezanne, though rendered with a lighter, more fluid touch. Both artists capture the essence of a place through colour and form, offering us a fresh way of seeing the world. It opens up something new to consider.