Den drunknade flickan I 1919

Nils Dardel made this eerie scene, *The Drowned Girl I*, with oil paint. It's dated 1917. That pulsing green, layered and luminous! It’s like a stage set, or maybe a fever dream. I can just picture him layering the paint, pushing and pulling the figures into place, wiping away, and then building up again. It's not just a painting, it's a record of thought. Look at the figures—the men, the women, the drowned girl herself. What's their story? The tall dark figure has such a mournful expression. What could Dardel have been thinking as he conjured this ghostly procession? This piece feels connected to Munch's works and maybe even a little bit to Ensor's bizarre theatricality. Painting is like having a conversation across time. It’s that exchange, that give and take, that keeps art alive.