Shore Landscape from the Naples Region 1905

Magnus Enckell created this landscape from the Naples region using oil paints. He has used the medium to capture the tranquil essence of the shoreline. The visible brushstrokes across the canvas demonstrate the artist's intimate engagement with the material, creating a sense of texture and depth. Enckell would have applied the paint in layers, building up the composition through careful manipulation of color and tone. This technique is aligned with the tradition of plein air painting, which saw artists venture out of the studio to capture the immediate sensory experience of a location. But it also involved a fair amount of labor, requiring patience to build up layers of detail and capture the subtle nuances of light and shadow. Paying close attention to materials and processes gives us a richer appreciation of the labor and choices embedded in every artwork, challenging any divide between fine art and craft.