Udkanten af en skov 1920

Peter Hansen made this watercolor, Udkanten af en skov, which translates to "Outskirts of a Forest," sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. It's all about the wash, the way he lets the pigment bleed and settle, creating these soft, blurred edges. The palette is so muted, mostly browns and greens, with just a hint of blue. It really speaks to the idea of artmaking as a process of layering, letting the medium do its thing. The painting is on paper, so the texture is smooth, but you can still see the way the water pools and dries. The paint is thin, transparent in places, which gives the whole scene this ethereal quality. Look at the way the light filters through the trees. You can almost feel the dampness in the air. Hansen uses very small touches to give an impression of leaves, it’s a shorthand. It reminds me a bit of the landscapes of Vilhelm Hammershøi, who also used a subdued palette and a sense of quiet contemplation, like they are having a conversation across time. Ultimately, this piece embraces a sense of ambiguity, inviting us to bring our own interpretations to the forest's edge.