Wading 1916

Edward Henry Potthast made this painting, 'Wading', with oil on canvas, and it looks like the paint was applied in short, choppy strokes. The way he builds up the image feels very much about the act of painting itself. The texture of the painting is really something – you can almost feel the bristles of the brush as Potthast laid down these little dashes of color. Notice how the greens in the trees are made up of all these different shades, and the way the light hits the buildings creates this shimmering effect. Look at the reflection in the water – it’s like the whole scene is being broken down into these little bits of light and color. It reminds me of the way Cezanne constructed his paintings, with each brushstroke building up to create a sense of depth and form. Potthast's work has this lovely, impressionistic quality, but with a solidity and groundedness that reminds me of American Scene painting. It’s a nice reminder that art is always in conversation with itself, borrowing and building on what came before.