Tuinhuis van de Jardin du Grand Maître uittorend boven de haven met galei schepen op Malta 1778

Louis Ducros made this watercolor of the Jardin du Grand Maître in Malta sometime before 1810. Ducros was celebrated for his ability to capture light and atmosphere using watercolor. He achieved these qualities through careful layering, using a limited range of pigments to create subtle tonal variations. Look closely, and you'll notice the delicate washes of color used to render the sky and sea, giving the scene a sense of depth and luminosity. Ducros would have relied on high-quality paper as a ground for his pigments, which are processed in cake form to be rewetted in the studio or on site. This portable format made watercolor a popular medium for artists traveling to capture landscapes and monuments. The technique also has social and cultural significance. Watercolor was considered an amateur technique, taught to young ladies as a social accomplishment, whereas oil painting on canvas was seen as a more serious professional pursuit. But Ducros's mastery of the medium demonstrates how skillful handling can elevate even the most modest of materials and methods. This challenges traditional hierarchies of art and craft.