Boats on the Seine at Oissel 1909

Gustave Loiseau made this painting, Boats on the Seine at Oissel, with oil on canvas. It’s a dreamy scene of water meeting land, a landscape rendered through visible, active marks, almost like he knit it all together. Up close, you can see how the surface is built from short, hatched brushstrokes. These marks aren't blended, but laid side by side to create a shimmering effect. The colors are muted, mostly blues and greens, giving the scene a cool, tranquil feel. The paint handling is direct; you sense Loiseau responding to the scene in real-time. Look at how the strokes create the reflections in the water. The strokes are confident, each one playing its part in capturing the light. This painting reminds me of other Impressionists, like Monet, who were obsessed with light and atmosphere. But Loiseau has his own take on it, a more grounded, tactile approach that feels really authentic. It's not just about what he saw, but how he felt being there, painting in that moment.