Deborah Beneath the Palm Tree 1902

James Tissot made this watercolor, Deborah Beneath the Palm Tree, sometime in the late 19th century. It’s a scene with two figures and, like a lot of narrative paintings, it’s all about gesture. Look at Deborah’s hand resting on the palm tree. It’s such a light touch, and it brings the whole composition together, as if she’s literally grounded by the tree’s presence. I love how the paint is thin and washy, especially in the grassy area, with visible strokes creating a kind of shimmering effect. The pigment feels almost incidental, like an afterthought. It’s not about the paint itself, but the overall dreamy atmosphere. This kind of understated approach to color and form reminds me of someone like Odilon Redon, who also used a limited palette to create ethereal, dreamlike images. It’s as if Tissot’s saying, "Let's not get bogged down in details. Let’s leave some room for the imagination." In that way, the painting becomes a kind of stage, where we can project our own feelings and ideas.