A Greater Morning c. 1900 - 1905

Arthur Bowen Davies made this painting, A Greater Morning, with oil on canvas, and it's all about mood. The sunset colours are brushed on loosely, oranges and yellows, and seem to seep into the darks, like everything is in the process of becoming. Check out the texture of the paint, especially in the sky – you can practically see the movement of the brush. It's not trying to hide the process, but rather revel in it. The figures in the foreground are silhouetted, adding to the sense of mystery. They're not sharply defined, but more like dark shapes against the light, making them feel like part of the landscape. Looking at this piece makes me think a little of Albert Pinkham Ryder, another American artist who loved to paint dreamy, atmospheric scenes. Like Ryder, Davies isn't so concerned with capturing reality as he is with evoking a feeling, an emotion, a sense of wonder. And maybe that's what art is all about, that ongoing conversation between artists trying to make sense of the world.