At the Spring 1921

Magnus Enckell made this watercolour, At the Spring, using delicate washes that bleed into one another. You can really feel the wateriness of the paint itself, right? It's all about process. Look at how Enckell applies the paint thinly, allowing the paper to breathe through. There's a fluidity here, a sense of light reflecting off the water's surface. The color palette is muted, almost dreamlike, with grays and blues dominating. But notice that figure bent over the water. The way the artist renders the human form is so interesting, with a sensitivity to light and shadow. It reminds me of some of Cézanne's bathers, though with a more melancholic feel. It's like Enckell is capturing a fleeting moment, an intimate connection between the figure and the natural world. The whole thing feels like an ongoing conversation about seeing and feeling.