Deborah Beneath the Palm Tree 1902

James Tissot painted Deborah Beneath the Palm Tree using delicate watercolors. Look at the light wash of muted grays and browns, with little pops of orange. See how he’s scrubbed the paint into the paper, letting the characters emerge from the ground of the painting. I imagine Tissot trying to find the scene, wiping away, and re-stating as he went, searching for the right balance. Notice the standing figure of Deborah, she’s framed by the trunk of a palm. She’s got a hand raised to her face and a flowing blue robe. What’s she thinking? Is she giving instructions, issuing a warning? And look at the way that other figure turns away, like a shadow or dark thought. Maybe Tissot was interested in how these scenes play out, what it means to be a leader or a follower. Painters are always looking at other painters, borrowing ideas and approaches across centuries. When I see this one, I think of someone like Marsden Hartley and his flat stylized figures and muted palette. The conversation goes on.