Jour de repos á Hyde Park 1929

Jean-Louis Boussingault made this tiny etching of Hyde Park sometime in his lifetime, which ended in 1943. It's whispery, light-handed. It barely exists, a bit like a memory. I imagine Boussingault there in the park, feeling a bit weary himself, sketching quickly, trying to capture the feeling of a lazy afternoon. See how the lines sort of scratch and tickle the surface? They don't try to describe exactly, but more to suggest. I wonder if he sat on one of those park benches, observing the quiet moments of rest and recreation. The way he suggests the figures with just a few lines reminds me a bit of Daumier, that great observer of people in public spaces. It's all about capturing a mood, a sense of fleeting time. What’s great is that it’s not overworked; it's like he knew when to stop. A quiet little gem, one artist talking to another across time.