Man Seated by a Stream 1912

John Singer Sargent made this watercolor, “Man Seated by a Stream,” sometime between the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The approach here is all about fluidity, the way the brushstrokes cascade and pool like the water they depict. The rocks are suggested with these almost violent stabs of pigment, juxtaposed against the wash of the stream itself, which is captured with incredibly loose, quick marks. Look at the way Sargent renders light; it’s not about precise detail but about capturing the essence of the moment. It's like he’s saying, “Here’s what it feels like to be by this stream," rather than, "Here’s an exact replica." In this way I am reminded of Winslow Homer, another American watercolorist who saw the potential in this medium for capturing a sense of immediacy. With Sargent, as with all great art, it's more about the poetry than the prose.