Spirit of the waters 1922

Hélène Guinepied made this small painting, 'Spirit of the Waters,' with ink and gouache. The palette is muted – mostly browns, blacks, and whites – but there’s a dynamic energy in the repeated, almost hypnotic lines that suggest flowing water. I think about my own painting process as I look at this. The way that a single, repeated mark can accumulate to create something greater than its parts. The dark, looping lines of the water are particularly interesting because of how physical they appear. You can almost feel the pressure of the artist’s hand as she created these winding shapes, giving the painting a tangible, rhythmic quality. The lines contrast with the solid form of the central figure, maybe a tree trunk, giving the piece a grounding element. Guinepied’s work reminds me of Marsden Hartley’s landscapes, especially in its use of simplified forms and a restricted color palette. This piece embodies a conversation across time, celebrating how art embraces open interpretation.