Man with three girls on a bench in the Oosterpark in Amsterdam 1904

Isaac Israels painted 'Man with three girls on a bench in the Oosterpark in Amsterdam' with watercolor, and you can really feel the fluidity of the medium. The colours are muted, sort of washy, which gives it this dreamy, fleeting quality, like a memory fading at the edges. I'm drawn to the way the watercolor bleeds and blends. Like, look at the way the shadows under the bench sort of dissolve into the pavement. It's not about sharp lines or perfect representation, but more about capturing a feeling, an impression. It's funny how the quick, almost careless strokes actually convey so much about the atmosphere, like a warm, hazy afternoon in the park. It reminds me a bit of Manet, that sense of capturing modern life with a light touch. I love how artists can have a conversation across time, echoing each other's ideas while still bringing their own unique perspective. Art isn't about having all the answers, but about embracing the questions.