Midsummer Night at Tisvilde Beach 1886

Julius Paulsen created this evocative seascape using oil on canvas. The brushwork is loose, almost gestural, characteristic of the Impressionist style. The visible texture of the paint is crucial here. It is not just a smooth depiction, but a record of Paulsen’s physical engagement with the materials. You can almost feel the dragging of the brush across the weave of the canvas. Notice how the thick application of paint captures the churning movement of the clouds and water. Oil paint, though now a traditional fine art material, became widely available due to industrial production, and this availability democratized painting. Paulsen harnessed these materials to capture the fleeting effects of light and atmosphere, elevating a scene of everyday life to a moment of profound beauty. Looking closely at the visible labor and the materiality of paint, the relationship between artist, artwork, and the world around it becomes richer and more apparent.