Mules and Ruins 1918

John Singer Sargent made "Mules and Ruins" with watercolour and graphite, look at how the paint is applied thinly, almost as if he's sketching with colour. I really enjoy how Sargent lets the white of the paper peek through, especially in the foreground, creating a sense of light and air. The washes of colour blend in a way that feels almost accidental, but you can see a real control in the tonal balance. The broken down structures and the weary mules are rendered with such loose brushstrokes and transparent washes that they create an overall feeling of melancholy. Sargent was part of the early modernist movement, and it’s fun to think about him in relation to artists like Cezanne, both were interested in capturing a sense of fleeting time. Art isn’t about perfection; it’s an ongoing conversation.