Regnbuen. Montiullier 1915

Othon Friesz made this watercolor, Regnbuen, Montiullier, with a flurry of loose washes and scribbled details. You can see that Friesz isn’t afraid to let the medium do its thing. It's like he’s trying to capture the fleeting essence of the rainbow, rather than a perfect representation. The colors bleed and blend, creating a sense of movement and atmosphere. Those turbulent skies are created with such loose brushstrokes! Look at how the rainbow emerges from a cloud with a real sense of drama. Friesz's technique is about allowing the unexpected to happen. This work feels related to other Fauvist landscapes, like Maurice de Vlaminck, where the intensity of color and the raw energy of the brushwork take precedence over naturalistic representation. Ultimately, it's a reminder that art is as much about the process as it is about the final product.