Estrada Principal em Røros 1904

Harald Sohlberg made this painting, Estrada Principal em Røros, with I’m guessing some kind of watercolour or gouache, look at the mark making, the almost obsessive use of thin brushstrokes to create something from the bleak nothingness of the Norwegian winter. The surface looks worked over, like he was trying to get it just right. It reminds me that art isn't about perfection; it's about the process of trying. See how the paint is thin, almost translucent, in places, allowing the texture of the paper to peek through, while in other areas, particularly in the snowdrifts, he's built up the layers to create a sense of depth and weight. Notice the almost imperceptible strokes of white and gray; each one contributes to the overall effect of the snow. Sohlberg, like Whistler, makes poetry out of a limited palette. He’s doing something similar here, reminding us that true art lies not in extravagant displays but in the quiet, persistent exploration of a single idea.