Lake in the Tyrol 1913

John Singer Sargent made "Lake in the Tyrol" with watercolor, and it's like he's painting pure light. See how the brushstrokes are loose and wet? They let the colors bleed together, especially in the trees, so the whole thing feels like a fleeting impression. There's something so instant about watercolor, it doesn't let you fuss too much, you have to go with the flow. The lake itself is this unreal blue that pulls you right in. It's like Sargent wasn't trying to copy nature, but to capture the feeling of being in nature. The way he dabs the paint on the rocks gives them a kind of weightlessness, they’re just these light touches of color. It reminds me of Cezanne's watercolors, how he could build a whole world out of just a few strokes. It’s not about detail, it’s about the overall vibe. Art is just one big conversation, isn't it?