Landscape by the sea 1904

Willy Schlobach made this painting of a landscape by the sea with short brushstrokes of greens, blues, purples and yellows. I can almost feel the painter outside, squinting at the sun dancing on the waves, trying to catch the fleeting light. The waves are rendered in horizontal strokes, while the cliffs on the left are more diagonal. They feel like two different worlds, but somehow Schlobach brings them together. I imagine the artist wanted to capture a feeling more than an exact copy of nature. There’s a real sense of immediacy here, like he’s trying to grab the moment before it disappears. It makes me think about Monet and the other Impressionists, all those artists trying to nail down light and atmosphere. What if we could all be so free with our own mark-making? It’s a good reminder to loosen up and let the painting guide you. Artists inspire each other, we're all in conversation across time.