Havnefogeden, rebslageren og skipperen. "Najaden" krydser ind 1916

Peter Hansen made this painting, *Havnefogeden, rebslageren og skipperen. "Najaden" krydser ind*, with oil on canvas, but when? We don't know! It's a picture of three men, and what looks like a harbour. The tones are muted, which gives it the feel of a memory, or something half-glimpsed. The paint is applied in loose strokes, which is especially visible in the bare trees and the wall behind the bench. See how they create a network of lines that are almost abstract? Look at the brushstrokes on the building. They are chunky and uneven. I love how the artist doesn’t try to smooth things out or hide the process. It feels immediate, like Hansen wanted to capture a fleeting moment, which is perhaps related to the way that someone like Manet worked. It reminds me that painting is always a conversation, a back-and-forth between the artist and the materials, and a way of seeing.