San Geremia 1913

John Singer Sargent seems to have made this painting of San Geremia in Venice with a flurry of brushstrokes and a calm palette of blues, browns, and creams. I can almost feel the scene coming together as he worked, one stroke at a time, building up the forms, like the dome of the church and the reflections on the water. I imagine Sargent, standing there with his easel, squinting at the light, trying to capture the essence of the city. You know, he wasn’t just painting a place; he was painting an experience, a moment in time. I really admire his use of thick paint, especially in the sky, how he loaded the brush. It gives a sense of movement, like the clouds are alive. And notice that gondola, gliding along the water, how it adds to the whole feeling of Venice. Sargent was part of a whole community of painters exploring similar subjects. Artists learn from each other, riffing off the same ideas, pushing the conversation forward. Painting isn’t about answers, it’s about the questions, the uncertainty, the way a painting can hold so many different meanings, all at once.