Spring 1906

Robert Lewis Reid made this painting, Spring, at some point in his career, probably with oil on canvas. Imagine Reid outside, squinting and trying to capture the light just so. The colour palette is soft, suffused with greens, blues and yellows. The brushstrokes feel spontaneous and light, like he's trying to catch a fleeting moment, a breath of fresh air, maybe the memory of a nice picnic? I can almost feel the sun on my skin looking at the painting. The way he's rendered the trees feels like a whisper of a forest. It reminds me a bit of Monet, but with a distinctly American flavour. It's as if Reid is saying, "Hey, nature's pretty great, isn't it?" I bet he was a big fan of being outdoors, probably had a whole set of plein air gear, and definitely wore one of those cool artist hats! We can almost see him there, in his boots, trying to get it all down before the light changes, before the moment is gone.