Bluebonnets at Sunrise 1917

Robert Julian Onderdonk painted “Bluebonnets at Sunrise” probably sometime in the early 20th century using oil on canvas. The way he's daubed the paint on, it's not about hiding the process. It’s like each little stroke is a decision, laid bare for us to see. Check out how he’s handled the bluebonnets themselves – little flicks and jabs of blue, creating this vibrating, almost electric field of color. You can almost feel the rough texture of the canvas coming through. It’s not smooth or blended; it's raw and immediate. Then there’s the path cutting through the field, this kind of beige-grey line that anchors the whole thing. It’s a simple, almost clumsy mark, but it does so much work, right? I'm reminded of Van Gogh – that same kind of restless energy, that feeling like the painting is alive and breathing. Both artists share a feeling that ambiguity is a strength, not a weakness.