Moulins en Hollandee 1904

Armand Guillaumin painted ‘Moulins en Hollandee’ with an optical mixing technique where strokes of pure color create a shimmering effect. Looking at the water, there is no attempt to blend the colors, instead, the whole surface is made up of small, individual marks. The overall effect is less about accurately describing the scene, and more about creating a sensation of light and movement. Up close the painting becomes an abstract field of colored marks. The windmills and boats in the distance melt into the sky, barely visible. The whole painting has a hazy, dreamlike quality. I’m reminded of Turner. Like Turner, Guillaumin uses light and color to evoke a mood. It seems that Guillaumin is less interested in realism and more in a subjective, emotional experience. For him, the painting is a container for these emotions. It suggests that art is not about answers, but about embracing uncertainty.