Study of mountains 1904

This is Maxime Maufra’s ‘Study of Mountains,’ painted with oils, though its date is unknown. Just look at that delicious build up of paint, laid down in strokes that fearlessly describe the scene, with a confidence that makes you feel you’re right there! The surface is alive and full of subtle touches: the way the colors are mixed right on the canvas, and the way the artist captures the light as it hits those trees. The whole thing is a process of discovery, an experiment in seeing, feeling, and understanding the landscape in front of him. Take a look at the lower left, where those horizontal strokes of green and purple sit. See how they pull your eye into the scene and anchor the composition. It's like a secret code, a map that leads you into the heart of the painting. The way he's pushing and pulling the paint around reminds me of Courbet, another artist who was deeply connected to the natural world. They both knew how to let the paint speak for itself.