Untitled 1922

Hans Hartung made this unnamed watercolor on paper with a real sense of freedom, I think. Look at how the strokes build up these prism-like shapes, like a stained glass window exploded. Hartung's letting the watercolor do its thing, bleed and mingle and pool, but he’s also directing the energy with these bold, directional strokes. The colors are rich but translucent, and the way he layers them gives it depth, you know? Like the red over the blue, creating this purple shadow. It’s not just about the colors themselves, but how they interact. Hartung's mark-making feels immediate, like he’s capturing a fleeting moment or a burst of energy. This reminds me a little bit of Joan Mitchell, where it is not about a fixed image, but about the pure act of painting. It’s loose, open, and full of possibilities.