Courses a Saint Cloud 1963

Emilio Grau Sala painted "Courses a Saint Cloud," sometime before 1975, probably with oil on canvas. Look how Grau Sala’s brushstrokes aren't trying to be neat. You can almost feel the energy of his process. The paint is applied in these short, choppy strokes that remind me of Impressionists like Pissarro, but with a kind of forceful twist. I love the way he handles the crowd in the foreground. Those figures are barely there – just a few dabs of color, yet they convey the feeling of a bustling scene. Notice how the brushwork around the tree is all yellows, browns, and greens. It almost feels like the whole painting is breathing. It’s this amazing blend of looseness and control that makes the scene come alive, and I like that he isn't trying to tell you exactly what to see. It reminds me of Bonnard, that same love of color, but maybe with an even more direct, gutsy approach. With Grau Sala, it’s more about the pure joy of painting itself.