Pont Neuf, Paris 1923

Maurice Asselin painted this muted oil of the Pont Neuf bridge in Paris; the gray scale lends a melancholic atmosphere. You can imagine him, standing with his easel, trying to capture the scene before him with quick, decisive strokes. The paint looks kind of thin, almost like watercolor in places, which gives it a certain fluidity. Look at the way the reflections in the water seem to dissolve the solid structures of the bridge and buildings. There is a real sense of movement that almost anticipates the future. I like to think about what Asselin was thinking about, looking at that bridge. Was he thinking about art history? About impressionism? Or about modernism which was brewing at the time? Painting is a conversation, after all. Each artist builds on what came before, responding, reacting, and pushing the boundaries. And that's what makes it so exciting.