Bord de Seine Enneigé 

Pierre-Jacques Pelletier created "Bord de Seine Enneigé" with oil paint on canvas, a traditional pairing for landscape painting. Yet even with such conventional means, Pelletier directs our attention to the material realities of his subject. The very title, "Snowy Banks of the Seine," evokes not just a scene, but also a specific experience of place, season, and climate. Consider how he renders the snow itself: not as a pristine blanket, but as a wet, granular substance, reflecting the dull light of the overcast sky. The weight and texture of the snow are palpable, as is the dampness of the riverbank. Pelletier's brushwork reinforces this effect. He uses short, broken strokes to capture the unevenness of the terrain, and subtle variations in tone to suggest the melting and refreezing of the snow. The painting is not merely a representation of a landscape but an exploration of its material qualities. By emphasizing the sensory experience of the scene, Pelletier elevates the status of the everyday and reminds us that even the most familiar subjects can be a source of artistic inspiration.