Venice, Boats 1912

Oscar Bluemner dashed off this little watercolor drawing of Venice, with boats, probably in 1912. The marks are so quick, just like a thought that zips through your head when you’re trying to capture a feeling. Look at the way he’s used the black ink, almost like musical notation, to give the scene rhythm and depth. The washes of color are faint, but they give just enough to suggest light reflecting off the water, or the faded grandeur of the buildings. It’s all about seeing and feeling, and translating that into a physical gesture. There's something about that sun in the sky, like a quick scribble, that feels so free. Bluemner, like Kandinsky, was after something beyond just the surface of things, trying to find a way to express inner emotions. It’s not a picture-postcard Venice, that’s for sure. It's more like a memory, a fleeting impression, capturing the spirit of the place with an economy of means.