Frog With Marsh Marigold 1880 - 1937

Eero Järnefelt made this painting of a frog with marsh marigold, and you can almost smell the damp earth and feel the cool air of the pond. Look at the way the colours mingle, soft blues and greens, with the bright sunny yellow of the marsh marigolds. I imagine Järnefelt hunched down by the water's edge, trying to capture the fleeting light and the stillness of the frog. It is a sort of meditation, right? The surface has a delicate, almost translucent quality, like watercolor. The frog, squat and still, is rendered with such care, each tiny detail of its skin lovingly observed. I see the way Järnefelt captured that moment of quiet observation, inviting us to share in his wonder at the natural world. Think of him, squinting to catch the light just so. He probably sat for hours. This quiet little painting speaks to something profound, about how we see and connect with the world around us. You can see him in it.