Lucerne 1908

Fujishima Takeji created this oil painting, Lucerne, with visible brushstrokes that capture the essence of the scene. The thick, deliberate strokes of paint give everything a textured feel. Look closely, and you can almost feel the cool dampness in the air. The way the artist layers blues and greens in the water creates a shimmering effect, as if the river is alive and breathing. I keep coming back to the building on the right. The reds and browns are applied so gesturally, it's as if the structure is emerging from the earth itself. There's a raw energy in these marks, a sense of immediacy that makes the scene feel both familiar and slightly dreamlike. Fujishima's work reminds me a little of Van Gogh, someone else who wasn't afraid to let his emotions guide his brush. Like all great art, this painting leaves plenty of room for interpretation. It reminds us that art is an ongoing conversation, a dialogue between artists and viewers across time.