Reproductie van een schilderij van een straatgezicht te Parijs in de sneeuw door Paul-Louis Delance before 1901

This is a reproduction of a painting of a Paris street scene in the snow, by an anonymous artist. The palette here is super muted, almost monochromatic. It gives the impression that the artist is interested in the effects of light on form. It feels like they’re thinking about how art-making is a process, a kind of slow reveal. There’s a real attention to texture here. You can almost feel the cold, wet slush underfoot. Look at the way the artist renders the snow on the rooftops. It’s as though they’re exploring the potential of the medium to evoke a sensory experience. The lamplight, for instance, is particularly evocative, radiating warmth amidst the bleakness. In a way, the flattened perspective reminds me of some of the early modernists. Though it may be that the artist was referencing Corot or the Barbizon school. Ultimately, art is an ongoing conversation, with each artist adding their voice to the chorus.