Study 1890 - 1925

Magnus Enckell made this small watercolor and pencil study. The washes of blues and purples create an atmospheric space, and the figures emerge from loose marks and lines. I'm imagining Enckell in his studio, quickly capturing an idea, maybe for a larger painting. I like the way the dark blue pulls the male figure forward in space, while the other figure is rendered with just a few lines. You can almost feel him feeling his way into the light. The scratchy quality of the pencil adds to the sense of searching and uncertainty. The whole thing feels kind of tentative, open. You know, painters often make studies to explore ideas, compositions, and color relationships. It's a way to work through problems and experiment without committing to a final version. Each painting builds upon the last. We carry on a conversation with one another, and with those who came before. I wonder who Enckell was in conversation with when he made this?