Bospad in de herfst 1916

Reijer Stolk made this watercolor painting, Bospad in de herfst, which translates to forest path in autumn, using washes of diluted pigment and delicate linear marks. It’s like he’s finding his way through the scene with his brush. The colors are mostly transparent, layered in such a way that they create a sense of depth and atmosphere. You can see how the blues and purples of the tree trunk on the left are built up with many strokes. There’s a sense of speed, of fleeting observation, as the artist captures the light filtering through the leaves. The writing scattered throughout the piece also adds to this sense of immediacy. Stolk’s approach reminds me of the French Impressionists, particularly someone like Camille Pissarro, who also sought to capture the ephemeral qualities of light and atmosphere in their paintings. This piece feels like a moment caught in time, a quiet walk in the woods. And, like any good piece of art, it leaves you with more questions than answers, inviting you to fill in the blanks with your own imagination.