Maison au bord du Fleuve 1906

Auguste Herbin made this painting of a house by a river with oil paint, and right away, you can see how the marks are built up one by one. It's like he's thinking out loud with each brushstroke. The surface of the painting is alive with texture; it's not just about depicting a scene, it's about the joy of applying paint. There’s a juicy quality to the way the colors blend and sit next to each other, making the river look like it’s actually moving. Look closely at the way he’s rendered the tree on the left. See how dabs of green and purple sit right next to each other, creating this vibrant, shimmering effect. It’s like he’s not just painting a tree, but painting the feeling of light filtering through the leaves. Herbin's work makes me think of Cezanne, someone else who was really interested in the nuts and bolts of picture making. Both artists remind us that art is a conversation, a playful back-and-forth that’s always open to new voices.