Summer Landscape 1966

Henri Catargi made this oil painting, Summer Landscape, at an unknown date. Catargi builds the scene with gentle, confident strokes. Note the way he’s laid the paint, especially in the trees, with these quick flicks of greens, yellows, and blues, almost like musical notes on a staff. This makes me think about the act of painting itself – the pure joy of applying color to a surface and watching a world emerge. The palette is muted but still luminous, a sort of dreamy filter over a sunny day. See how the thick daubs of white in the fence contrast with the thin, washy sky, almost like watercolor? It’s all so present, the texture, the light, and the feel of a warm day. I keep coming back to the trees, those strokes are so alive, so sure of themselves. It feels like a conversation between the hand, the eye, and the memory of a place. This piece reminds me of Bonnard’s landscapes, an intimate, playful observation of a world bathed in light. It's a reminder that art is always a dialogue, an ongoing exchange of ideas, and a constant exploration of seeing.