The Bathers 1917

John Singer Sargent made ‘The Bathers’ with watercolour, and it’s all about process, about catching a fleeting moment. Look at how Sargent teases out the textures of the landscape with translucent washes and vibrant color. He’s not trying to capture every little detail, but instead gives us the essence of a bright, shimmering day at the beach. I mean, check out that light dappling on the sand! See how it's rendered with these quick, confident strokes? It’s like he’s painting the feeling of sunlight as much as the scene itself. You can almost feel the heat rising off the page. In some ways Sargent reminds me of Bonnard, not in terms of style so much as in his ability to seize upon the ephemeral. In the end, it’s not just a picture, it’s an experience.