Hay stacks 1905

Émile Claus painted these haystacks with oils. They are rendered through tiny, careful strokes in a palette of soft greens, golds, and browns. I imagine Claus standing in a field, squinting in the sun, brush in hand. Did he feel a camaraderie with the workers, or was he more interested in light? You can almost feel the warmth of the afternoon sun on your skin, the slight prickle of dry hay in the air. Look at how he creates volume through the short brushstrokes. These little marks communicate the sensation of light as it hits the surfaces. Think about Seurat. But where Seurat is systematic, here, Claus embraces the looseness. It's like he's whispering to us about the subtle shifts in tone and texture. The way he captures the light feels so intimate. There’s an exchange happening here, a way of seeing the world that feels very personal. And, as painters, we're all just having one big conversation, aren't we? Trying to figure it out together, one stroke at a time.