Matin d'hiver, Billancourt 1902

Pierre-Jacques Pelletier made this painting, Matin d'hiver, Billancourt, with what looks like oil on canvas, and what strikes me is how he’s captured this hazy winter light. There's such a sensitivity to the materiality of paint here. See how the brushstrokes in the sky almost dissolve into the grey day? The way the light hits the water, just a few dabs of bright paint, brings the whole scene to life. Then there are these long, diagonal marks on the lower right, maybe a path or the edge of the riverbank, that pull you into the painting. It’s like Pelletier is inviting you to walk right into this quiet, cold morning. Looking at this work, I can’t help but think about the atmospheric landscapes of Whistler. Like Whistler, Pelletier seems less interested in detail and more concerned with capturing a mood, a feeling. It's a reminder that painting isn’t just about what you see, but how you see it.