The Japanese Bridge 1924

Claude Monet painted this "Japanese Bridge" with oils, and when you look closely, you can see how much he was into the *process* of making art, as much as the final picture. The painting is all about texture, color, and surface. Thick paint, laid on with visible brushstrokes. Is it possible to tell what kind of brushes or tools he used? Maybe. But what’s cool is that the materiality shapes how we feel about the piece, its emotional vibe. Check out the bottom right corner, where the red bleeds into the green – it’s almost like a little accident that becomes the whole point! Monet's obsession with light and color reminds me of Turner. Both artists explore how color can be both descriptive and totally abstract. Art isn't about fixed ideas, but about keeping the conversation going, right?