Gown c. 1940

This is Douglas Campbell's watercolour painting, Gown. Look at the way the pigment has been laid down, almost like a wash, letting the white of the page do a lot of the work. For me, that’s a generous act by the artist, allowing the painting to breathe and be a process rather than a fixed object. The dress itself, rendered in subtle shades, seems almost to float on the page, with light and shadow playing across the folds of the fabric. Notice how each stroke seems to mimic the fall and drape of the material, creating an illusion of depth and texture. There’s this incredible feeling of air and light, like the dress is not just depicted but somehow evoked, almost captured in a fleeting moment. The detail on the sleeves particularly, shows the skill involved in conveying the softness and lightness of the material. It reminds me of John Singer Sargent, with that same ability to capture the essence of a thing with just a few strokes, leaving room for the viewer to fill in the blanks. It’s a reminder that art isn't about perfect representation but about capturing something more elusive, more ineffable.