Near the Pont d'Arcole, Paris 1829

David Cox made this watercolor, Near the Pont d’Arcole, Paris, using paper, pigment, and water. Watercolor is a medium known for its portability, prized by artists keen to capture the fleeting effects of light and atmosphere. The fluid, translucent washes of color give this urban scene its airy quality. You can almost feel the cool, damp air of the city on the page. Watercolor demands a certain spontaneity. It relies on both the artist’s skill and the way the material behaves. The challenge is to achieve a balance between control and chance. In Cox’s time, watercolor was gaining popularity, and paper manufacturers developed new techniques to improve its quality. Mass production of art materials went hand in hand with increasing demand. Looking at this image, the materiality reminds us that art is always enmeshed with industry, labor, and consumption. Watercolor was not just a medium, it was part of a whole cultural and economic landscape.