Breakfast in the Garden 1916

Frederick Carl Frieseke’s "Breakfast in the Garden" is like a party of little dots, painted who knows when, using oil paint, probably. I love the way he’s built up the image bit by bit, a real process head, moving between light and shadow, not in big swathes, but in these little touches. It feels like a visual diary, each mark a record of a moment spent looking. The way the light filters through the trees, hitting the woman’s polka dot dress, creates this shimmering effect, like everything’s alive and buzzing. Look closely at the way he’s handled the flowers in the background, not trying to define them too much, but letting them blur into a sea of color. It reminds me of Bonnard, someone else who was all about capturing the fleeting, shimmering qualities of light and color. It’s all about the stuff that happens *between* things – the atmosphere, the feeling, the way a certain light can make you feel like you're dreaming.