Rooftops, Paris 1909 - 1912

Henry Lyman Saÿen made this painting of Parisian rooftops with oil on canvas, and right away, I’m drawn to the chunky, textural brushstrokes and the light, almost pastel palette. Imagine Saÿen standing on a balcony or leaning out of a window, quickly capturing the scene with these broad strokes, trying to seize the light as it hits those buildings. He’s laying the paint on thick, almost like frosting, really building up the surface with these luscious dabs of colour. The pinks and greens speak to the early moderns like Matisse or Bonnard. I wonder if he noticed how the chimneys all seemed to have their own personalities like characters in a play. You get the sense that Saÿen wasn’t trying to create a perfect picture but rather an impression, a feeling. Paintings like this one remind us that art is just a conversation, an ongoing exchange of ideas and approaches across time, inspiring artists to see and feel in new ways.