Harbor Entrance at Marseille c. 1920

Otto Lange made this watercolor of the Harbor Entrance at Marseille on paper. The approach to color is so interesting here, because the color is both saturated and washed out. You get a sense of Lange working with the qualities of the watercolor, letting it pool and drip, but also keeping the linework precise. Looking closely, you can see how the textures of the paper affect the emotional resonance of the work. In the upper left corner, the pigment seems to bloom softly, creating a moody, atmospheric effect, while around the fort, the lines are sharper, creating a sense of depth and solidity. It's a good example of how the physical properties of the medium are so important. This piece reminds me of Lyonel Feininger. There's a similar way of seeing the world, a kind of fragmented, geometric approach that's both abstract and deeply felt. Ultimately, Lange reminds us that art isn't about capturing a fixed reality, but about embracing the messy, ambiguous, and ever-changing nature of perception itself.