At sea 1934

Paul Delvaux made this painting, "At Sea," with oil on canvas, and what grabs me right away is how he's used the paint. The painting's surface is relatively smooth, but it's not trying to hide its brushstrokes. You can see how he built up the colors in layers, especially in the sky and the sea. There's a dreamlike quality to the whole scene that makes it feel like it's not quite real. Look at the way he painted the waves. They're not overly detailed or realistic. Instead, they're simplified, almost like a pattern repeating across the canvas, which reminds me of some of Magritte's surreal seascapes. Delvaux's work often has this feeling of stillness, a quiet moment where time seems to stand still.