Port of Hamburg 1928

Willy Schlobach created this painting of Hamburg's port with a brush and canvas, probably sometime in the early 20th century. Look at those assertive strokes! It's like he's wrestling with the scene, trying to pin down all its bustling energy. I can imagine Schlobach standing there, his eyes darting between the ships, the water, and the buildings, as he translates this chaotic scene into a web of thick, juicy paint. Notice how the blues and grays of the water clash with the oranges and reds of the ships; it’s like a visual argument playing out on the canvas. The textures are so palpable, almost like you could reach out and touch the gritty surfaces of the boats or feel the dampness of the water. Painters like Schlobach, like all of us, are always in conversation with each other across time. They respond, push back, and build upon the ideas of those who came before. Ultimately, painting is a form of embodied expression, embracing all the beautiful ambiguity and uncertainty of life.