Mt Hermannsburg, Finke River 1948

Albert Namatjira made this watercolour painting of Mt Hermannsburg and the Finke River sometime during his career. Look at the way the blues and browns are laid down in transparent washes, one after another, to build up the forms of the mountains and the trees, it feels like such a patient act of layering, a real conversation with the landscape. The texture of the paper comes through in the lighter areas, giving it all a kind of dry, sun-baked feel, perfect for capturing the Australian outback. Notice that single stroke of dark blue that defines the edge of the mountain – it’s so simple, yet it gives the whole scene depth and weight. It’s these little moments, these direct, confident gestures, that bring the landscape to life. It’s interesting to compare Namatjira with someone like, say, Cézanne, another landscape obsessive. Both artists were trying to capture something essential about the places they painted, but with such different tools and perspectives. Art is always about this exchange, this ongoing conversation across time and cultures, don’t you think?