Bathers 1919

Maurice Prendergast made this tiny watercolour, *Bathers*, date unknown, but probably in the early 1900s. It's all about the joy of putting dabs of colour on paper, and seeing what happens. The beach scene emerges from a flurry of brushstrokes – look at the way he scumbles the colours, blurring the figures and the background. There's a real freedom here, a sense of just letting the paint do its thing. He lets the watercolor pool and drip, creating a lively surface. I love how the little touches of red pop against the blues and greens, making the whole thing vibrate. Take a look at the figures in the centre – they’re not really ‘there,’ but they suggest bodies and movement with just a few quick strokes. It’s like Prendergast is saying, "Here’s a beach, now you fill in the details.” It reminds me of Bonnard, who also had this amazing ability to evoke a scene with just the barest of means. It’s like he’s inviting us to collaborate with him in the act of seeing.