Green Bowl of Flowers c. 1916

William James Glackens made this painting, "Green Bowl of Flowers," with oil paint, and its all about how he put the paint on. There's a real directness to the marks, kind of like the Fauves, but also, something about the way he builds up the surface gives it a Van Gogh vibe. Check out the orange background. It's not just orange; it's made up of all these little strokes and dashes. See how he drags the brush, leaving bits of texture? And then the flowers – a riot of color, pinks, yellows, blues – each petal feels like a quick, confident gesture. It’s so full of life, like he just grabbed the paint and went for it. There's this little patch of green, a few leaves maybe, tucked in near the bottom right, these small marks are cool against all the warmth, and it really pops. It reminds me of Bonnard, this intimate, off-the-cuff energy. It’s less about the perfect representation and more about the messy, beautiful act of painting itself.