The Lobster Fisher 1913

Paul Henry’s ‘The Lobster Fisher’ is a painting made with oil on canvas. Just look at these cool, moody hues! You can imagine Henry dabbing and layering those shades of gray and blue to create such a muted and atmospheric scene. It looks like he might have thinned the paint to allow it to spread smoothly and evenly. The paint is controlled, without thick impasto. The overall effect makes me feel a certain kind of quietness; Henry’s careful application of colour evokes a sense of stillness and contemplation. The curve of the boat, the back of the bending fisherman, the rolling sea: he's trying to capture a world in flux. It reminds me of other painters obsessed with light and atmosphere, like Whistler. There's a real kinship in the way they approach the canvas, searching for something beyond the literal. Artists are always in dialogue with each other, riffing off ideas across time. And for me, this painting opens up a space for reflection on the beauty and mystery of painting itself.