Valdemosa,Majorca – Thistles and Herbage on a Hillside 1908

John Singer Sargent made this painting of thistles and herbage on a hillside in Valdemosa, Majorca. Just look at those gestural marks and that color palette. Imagine the act of painting itself, shifting and emerging through trial, error, and intuition. You can see how the painting came into being. I sympathize with Sargent, thinking about what it might have been like to create this. Those greens and browns! Were they as overwhelming in person? I'm looking at the texture and surface, wondering if the paint is thick or thin. For me, these elements shape the painting and contribute to its emotional and intellectual meaning. That one gesture of dark green can communicate a feeling, intention, or meaning. I imagine this painting relates to Sargent's wider practice and body of work, but also to the work of other painters too. Artists are in an ongoing conversation and exchange of ideas across time, inspiring one another’s creativity. Painting is a form of expression that embraces ambiguity and uncertainty, allowing for multiple interpretations.