BEUL (BEAULIEU). LOW WET SANDS AND SEA, HIGH SAND HILLS BEYOND and TEMPLE, DARK BLUE SEA AND SKY (A PAIR) 

Nathaniel Hone the Younger painted this watercolor landscape, depicting the low wet sands, sea, and high sand hills of Beaulieu. Watercolor is interesting because it is so immediate. There is very little between thought and execution. You mix your pigment, and you apply it. The quick, thin strokes of blue and brown create this composition, and the white of the paper shines through to give the painting depth. It is economical, using only what is necessary to create an entire environment. Because of this simplicity, watercolor has often been regarded as something other than 'high art' – a pastime for amateurs, or a quick study done in preparation for a ‘real’ painting in oils. But in fact, this kind of directness gives watercolor its special appeal. Consider how this approach to art-making democratizes artistic expression, allowing for an unpretentious engagement with the world. The beauty of the landscape, captured in a few, sure strokes of the brush.