Bos in Pontresina c. 1869

Jozef Israëls created this watercolor sketch of a forest in Pontresina. The loose washes and thin paper are typical of plein air studies made outside the studio. Here, the artist applies pigment suspended in water to achieve a sense of light filtering through a dense wood. You see the inherent qualities of the watercolor medium in the blurred edges and translucent layers. The fluidity and transparency of the watercolors allow Israëls to capture the fleeting and ephemeral qualities of light and atmosphere in the forest. The apparent ease of the medium belies the skill required to achieve the image. The quick, gestural marks evoke a sense of immediacy, as if the artist were racing against time to capture the scene before the light changed. The social context of this artwork lies in the tradition of landscape painting, where artists sought to capture the sublime beauty of nature. By focusing on the materials and making of this artwork, we can appreciate the skill and artistry involved in creating a seemingly effortless image.