Sunny Hours 1902

Frederick Morgan made this painting – Sunny Hours – with oil on canvas, and I am instantly drawn to the way the light falls. Look at the impasto on the mother’s dress. You can see the texture of the brushstrokes, how the paint catches the light and adds a dimension, like sun-dappled fabric. It's not just about depicting light, it’s like light has been made material. It's as though Morgan delights in the tactile qualities of paint. The overall palette is soft, pastel shades of pink, green, and gold, creating a sense of warmth and serenity. Notice the sundial and the children playing; it is like a moment stopped in time. Then there is the background, which has a photographic quality. I am drawn to a similar rendering of light in Pierre-Auguste Renoir's painting style. Both artists share a similar sensibility, but there is a unique intimacy to Morgan's domestic scene. Art is an ongoing conversation, don’t you think?