Autumn, Morning Mist, Éragny-sur-Epte 1902

Camille Pissarro made this painting, Autumn, Morning Mist, Éragny-sur-Epte, in 1902, and the way he builds up the image, layer by layer, feels so process-driven. Look at how he's dabbed and stroked the paint, creating this hazy, almost dreamlike atmosphere. You can practically feel the dampness in the air, see the light struggling to break through. He's not trying to hide his brushstrokes; they’re all part of the experience. The muted greens and browns, with those touches of yellow, give this feeling of late autumn. Notice the two figures working in the field? They’re small but bring a sense of life to the scene. And the way the trees are rendered, not as perfect botanical studies, but as these twisting, reaching forms, adds to the overall feeling of nature’s resilience. It makes me think of Courbet. Both artists share the sense of the art existing in the real world, not in some lofty ideal. What a conversation!