Stadhuis in Capodistria 1902

Carel Nicolaas Storm van 's-Gravesande made this watercolor of Stadhuis in Capodistria, sometime around 1902. It’s so light and free, isn't it? The whole thing feels like a memory, or a fleeting impression. Look at how he’s used the watercolor. It’s thin, almost translucent, and the paper shines through in places. It gives the whole scene this airy, dreamlike quality. The colors are muted, mostly grays and browns, but then there are these little pops of color – the blue in the figures' clothes, the green of the window. It’s like he’s capturing the essence of the place, not just the way it looks. There's one figure, standing slightly apart, in a darker dress, which is really striking against the lightness of the rest of the piece. The looseness reminds me a bit of John Singer Sargent's watercolors. Both artists share this ability to capture a scene with such economy and grace. It’s not about perfection, it’s about feeling. And that’s what makes it so alive.