La Banche 1906

Gustave Loiseau painted *La Banche* with oil on canvas, and he really makes us aware of the inherent qualities of those materials. Look closely, and you'll see that the paint isn't applied smoothly, but rather in a mosaic of individual brushstrokes. This influences everything about the image, from the texture of the cliffs, to the way the water shimmers. The artist is engaging with the techniques of impressionism, but moving beyond it to his own vision. Loiseau was very interested in the effects of weather, and how natural light could animate a scene. So, even though he's using fairly conventional art materials here, he is also using them in a very particular way, trying to capture an ephemeral moment in time. Impressionist painters often worked 'en plein air', outside rather than in the studio. This allowed them to carefully observe changes in light. The material reality of the paint becomes a way of understanding a fleeting impression of the world. Thinking about the materials and processes in this way helps us appreciate the skill and artistry involved in creating this stunning landscape. It bridges art with a sensitivity to craftsmanship.