From Jerusalem 1905 - 1906

John Singer Sargent made "From Jerusalem" with watercolor. He’s got this open, airy feel with quick, transparent washes. It’s all about capturing a sense of place, a feeling, not just a picture-postcard view. I love how the colors blend into each other, especially in the sky. You can almost feel the sun trying to break through the clouds. The way he layers the colors, thin washes over thin washes, you get this luminous quality, like the light is coming from within the painting itself. See that little cluster of buildings down there? It's just a few quick strokes, but they sit perfectly in the landscape. This reminds me a bit of Turner, that sense of atmosphere, but Sargent's got his own thing going on. It's not about perfect representation, it's about a feeling, an impression. And that's what makes it so captivating. There’s no right way to see it, just your way.