Anticipation 1911

This painting of a woman gazing out to sea, called Anticipation, was made by Eugene de Blaas. It's like a scene from a play, or a dream you might have after reading a novel. What really gets me is the way de Blaas handles the fabric. The yellow skirt, bunched and draped just so, is not just a garment; it's a sculpture, a swirl of color and light that somehow captures the woman's yearning. The surface is so smooth, it’s a real contrast to the textures in the rest of the image. I love the idea that there's this contrast between the smoothness of the woman's dress and the distant, rippling sea. I can’t help but think of John Singer Sargent, another painter who knew how to make fabric sing. But where Sargent is all flash and dash, de Blaas is quieter, more introspective. It's a reminder that art is never just one thing; it's a conversation, a constant back-and-forth between artists and ideas.