La Purisima Mission - Restored in 1941 c. 1942

William Kieckhofel made this watercolour, *La Purisima Mission*, some time after its restoration in 1941. The pale palette gives the whole scene a kind of faded, dreamlike quality. You can really see the hand of the artist in the way the colour has been built up in layers. It's all about the process, the quiet, repetitive action of applying each thin wash. The texture is smooth, almost translucent, like looking through a veil. Notice how the artist has used thin washes of colour to create depth and shadow. It gives a sense of stillness. My eye is drawn to the floral decoration around the alcoves. It looks almost stencilled, but is probably hand painted, a testament to the artists craft. There is something so charming and naive about this piece. The overall effect is calming and meditative, inviting us to contemplate the sacred space. It reminds me a little of Edward Hopper, both artists seem interested in capturing the quiet beauty of everyday scenes, and of course, with both, there is always more to discover than meets the eye.