Untitled (Amobar_) 1921

This untitled watercolor by Hermann Lismann is at the Städel Museum, and it feels like a quick sketch, made en plein air. The palette is so gentle. It's like Lismann is whispering colors onto the paper. Look at how he layers washes to build up the bark of that tree. The way the brown and purple bleed into each other, it's like he's letting the water do half the work. It’s pure process, just watching what happens when color meets water. Notice how the branches reach out, almost like arms, framing the scene. There’s a figure in the background, barely there, and some chickens pecking at the ground. This reminds me of the work of Emil Nolde, but with a lighter touch, a kind of breezy freedom. Art doesn't need to shout to be heard, right? Sometimes the quietest voices carry the most weight.