Generalife 1912

Emily Sargent made this watercolor of the Generalife, a villa in Granada, Spain, using thin washes of paint. I can imagine her working en plein air, trying to capture the light as it shifts across the scene. Look how she's built up the image with these transparent layers. See how the columns and busts emerge from the paper, almost dissolving into the hazy atmosphere. The paint is so thin it's like she’s barely touched the surface, allowing the white of the paper to shine through, adding to the luminosity. The brushstrokes are loose and flowing, particularly in the sky and foliage, creating a sense of movement and vitality. I wonder if she was thinking about her brother, John Singer Sargent, as she painted this. He was also a painter, and they both shared a love for capturing light and atmosphere. It’s like they were in constant dialogue, inspiring each other to see the world in new ways.