Boitsfort, het hek van het park 1892 - 1916

Rik Wouters made this vibrant watercolor, 'Boitsfort, het hek van het park,' with gentle washes and spontaneous strokes. I can almost see him there, layering blues and greens, letting the colors mingle on the page, trying to catch the light as it filters through the park gate. I'm sure he was thinking about Cezanne. Look at the way the colors build the composition! It's not just about capturing what he saw, but about building the image itself. It looks like a little dance of color and form, with each shape and hue playing off the others. The strokes are so immediate, so direct. There is a sense of playfulness in his work, he’s probably out there just having fun. Wouters was part of a group of artists who were really into color, like the Fauves. I can see that energy here. To me, painting is an ongoing conversation; artists build on what came before, each one adding their voice. And now, here we are, looking and responding, becoming part of that exchange.