Rue de Bretagne, en 1908. 3ème arrondissement 1908

Frédéric Houbron captured this street scene, Rue de Bretagne, in Paris in 1908 with watercolor, I can almost smell the fresh paint! The colors are muted but there’s a liveliness that comes from the quick, gestural marks. Look how the buildings on either side kind of lean in, framing the hustle and bustle of the street. The washes of color create a sense of depth, pulling you into the scene. Notice how Houbron suggests the figures with just a few strokes, capturing their movement and energy. The whole thing feels fleeting, like a memory. The street lamps, with their soft glow, anchor the composition, while the figures are just hints of color, blurring into one another, suggesting something about the transient nature of life itself. This work reminds me a little of Whistler’s nocturnes, in its ability to evoke a mood with minimal detail. It leaves a lot to the imagination, which, for me, is where the real magic happens.