Breitner op zijn doodsbed 1923

In 1923, Martin Monnickendam made this watercolor, "Breitner op zijn doodsbed," which translates to "Breitner on his deathbed." I love how the blue seeps in around the edges, almost as if the figure is dissolving into the ground, so quiet and still. The material handling here is so direct, you can feel the marks being laid down, one after the other, without fuss or adjustment. The colours are translucent, allowing the light to pass through, creating a sense of serenity and calm. Look at the mouth, how it's just a few strokes, but it conveys so much. This reminds me of the raw emotion of some of Edvard Munch’s drawings, particularly in the unvarnished depiction of mortality. Like all art, it's a conversation across time. There's a real courage in leaving things unresolved, in letting the ambiguity of form reflect the uncertainty of life itself.