The Malaquais Quay in the Morning, Sunny Weather 1903

Camille Pissarro made this painting on an average-sized canvas, smearing and layering the pigment like clotted cream. I can imagine him, maybe in a bit of a rush, trying to capture the fleeting light before the sun moves too far. Pissarro was probably trying to get that golden light just right, mixing ochres and siennas to catch the sun's warmth. There's a real focus on the light, how it bounces off the buildings and filters through the trees. The way he’s built up the surface, it’s almost like he’s sculpting with paint! And that dome in the background—it feels so solid and permanent, a real anchor in the shifting, shimmering scene. Pissarro, like Monet, was inspired by Corot, who also spent his life painting outdoors. It makes you think about how artists are always looking at each other, riffing off each other's ideas. Painting is a conversation that goes on, and on, and on.