The entrance to Cassis, also called The belfry at Cassis 1909

Othon Friesz made this gouache painting on paper of The Entrance to Cassis. Look at how Friesz applies the gouache, those dark bold outlines and washes, it’s clear he is thinking about painting as a process. Focus on the way the dark tones define the composition. It’s a tonal landscape, the forms emerge through contrasts in light and shadow. See how the belfry is nestled in the center, framed by those monumental forms on either side? The physical properties of gouache, the opacity of the paint, allows for layering and reworking of tones. Notice the way Friesz uses the medium to evoke a sense of depth and atmosphere, with the mountains receding into the distance. The lack of color creates an ambiguity, heightening the emotional impact of the scene. There’s a raw, gestural quality here. Friesz was influenced by artists like Cézanne, but his approach to landscape painting, with its expressive brushwork and emphasis on emotion over realism, is all his own. It leaves space for us to project our own experience onto the scene, which is what art is all about.