Zeven studies van orchideeën 1878 - 1943

Willem van Konijnenburg made these orchid studies in watercolor, and you can really sense the fluidity of the medium. I think of painting as a process, an ongoing conversation between the artist, the subject, and the materials. And here, the way the watercolors blend and bleed into each other really emphasizes that sense of process. Look at how the colors are layered; thin washes of green, brown, and purple create depth and volume. It’s interesting how the artist hasn't fully concealed the process of creating each flower. The way the watercolor is applied creates a sense of translucence. You can almost see the light filtering through the petals, they are full of movement, like the artist is chasing them with his brush. For me, this piece speaks to the endless possibilities of artmaking. There's something reminiscent of Georgia O'Keeffe in Konijnenburg's sensitive, detailed rendering of organic forms; like O'Keeffe, he finds endless inspiration in the natural world. In a way, art is about embracing the unresolved, the uncertain, and seeing how those ambiguities can open up new ways of seeing and feeling.