Le marchand de chansons 1903

Victor Gabriel Gilbert created this scene with oil paints. It’s of a song seller, surrounded by a crowd, illuminated by lamplight, and the air feels thick with sound. I wonder about Gilbert’s process here. He's trying to capture something about the working class, and you can feel the painting come alive with his mark-making. He starts with a warm underpainting, and then drags a darker tone over the top. Look at the crowd. There's a sense of movement as faces emerge and dissolve into the night. The man’s hands on the guitar are so full of life, and the faces are upturned towards him. The painting feels like a record of a lived experience. It reminds me of Courbet and Daumier and their own interest in chronicling everyday life. Every painter learns from those who came before. We are all note-keepers of the world.