Étude pour le Cercle de l’île de Puteaux 1907

Henri Gervex made this study for the Circle of the Île de Puteaux with oil paint, and wow, what a process! You can tell Gervex is really thinking through how he wants to depict this scene; the quick brushstrokes and warm color palette indicate the early stages of a painting coming to life. Looking closely at the lower part of the canvas you can really see the texture that has been built up on the surface. Short dashes of brown, white, red, and blue jostle together to suggest flowers, hats, and people. The painting is like a little puzzle; the more you look the more the scene seems to coalesce. This piece reminds me of some of Manet's sketches, where he's trying to capture the fleeting nature of everyday life. It really shows you that art isn’t about perfection; it’s about exploring, questioning, and embracing the beauty of ambiguity.