Étude de paysage à la rivière et d’enfants c. 1910

Mary Cassatt made this watercolor study of a river landscape and children probably outside, in a park. It's like she’s trying to catch a moment, a feeling. The way she's layered those greens and blues is something else, right? You can almost smell the grass and feel the cool air off the water. The colors aren't blended perfectly, and that's what makes it so alive. See how the strokes are loose, almost like she dashed them down? It's like she's saying, "Here's the essence, the vibe," rather than getting caught up in the details. Then you've got those kids sketched in with light washes of color. They're not perfect portraits, and that's the charm, really. This makes me think about other impressionist painters, like Berthe Morisot, who were all about capturing the fleeting moments of everyday life. It's like they're saying, "Art doesn't have to be so serious, so perfect. It can be messy and real."