Mein Garten 1926

Leo Putz made this painting, called "Mein Garten", with oil paint, and you can really see how he was thinking through the process. It’s all about how he’s putting down the paint, in these visible, juicy marks. There’s this great tension in the painting. Like, is it carefully planned, or just happily stumbled upon? Look at how he handles the sunflowers. The paint is thick, almost sculptural, creating a lively texture that seems to vibrate with energy. It feels like he’s really digging into the materiality of the paint, not trying to hide it at all. Take a look at the way he’s rendered the path in the foreground. The brushstrokes are loose, almost haphazard, but they create a convincing sense of depth and light. It's a little like Bonnard, who was also interested in gardens. In both cases, it’s like they’re reminding us that art is always a conversation, a way of seeing and experiencing the world that’s always open to new interpretations.