Holland – Strandkörbe 1904

Wassily Kandinsky made this painting of beach chairs in Holland using oil paint, though the exact date is unknown. He understood artmaking as a process, and you can really see that in his brushwork and color choices. He layers color upon color, and the texture is incredible. The paint is applied so thickly, almost like frosting, giving the whole scene a tangible, almost edible quality. I love the way he renders the sand; each dab of paint seems to vibrate with its own energy. Look at the lower left corner of the painting. Each little brushstroke feels like a pebble on the beach. The colors shift and shimmer, creating a sense of movement and light. It's almost like the sand itself is alive, full of tiny, individual moments. Later in life, Kandinsky developed a more abstract style, but this piece reminds me of his roots in Impressionism.