Le magazin de nouveautes 1902

Alexandre Lunois made this print, "Le magazin de nouveautes", which translates as "The new-style store", and is currently at The Art Institute of Chicago. Look at the scene, captured through a haze of colors – ochre, sienna, and rosy pink, with streaks of white. I wonder how this image came into being, shifting and emerging through color and gesture? Imagine being Lunois, observing this flurry of shopping activity. Look at that crowd amassed at the upper level – the artist uses quick strokes to create an impression of movement and energy. Below, the figures are more defined, their coats rendered in blocks of color. How thick is the paint? I wonder what it felt like to apply it? Each gesture communicates feeling and meaning. I’m drawn to the figure in the red coat – a bold stroke that anchors the composition. There’s a conversation happening here, across time, that inspires my own creativity as a painter. It’s all about embracing ambiguity, letting the multiple interpretations emerge.