Port of Dieppe 1903

Gustave Loiseau painted this piece, "Port of Dieppe," with what looks like oil on canvas, and boy, does it capture a mood. The surface is built from countless tiny dabs of color, a mosaic of greens, grays, and muted yellows. I imagine Loiseau standing there, squinting at the light, trying to capture the shimmer of the water and the way the buildings seem to dissolve into the misty sky. You can sense him layering the paint, one stroke at a time, almost like he's knitting the scene together. There's a real stillness to it, but also a sense of movement, like the water is breathing. I wonder if he was thinking about the Impressionists, maybe even Seurat, but he’s doing his own thing, finding a balance between precision and feeling. It’s as if he's not just painting what he sees, but also what he feels. It makes you want to grab your paints and brushes and head outside, and let the world guide your hand.