The Japanis Bridge (Footbridge over the Water-Lily Pond) 1924

Monet made this painting of a footbridge over a water-lily pond in his garden in Giverny, probably en plein air. I imagine him standing there, brush in hand, squinting at the light. The surface of the painting is a mosaic of greens and yellows, a tapestry woven with short, thick strokes. The paint is luscious. Looking at it, I feel a kind of kinship with Monet. I can almost feel the dampness of the air, the buzzing of insects, the scent of the flowers. That dark, horizontal swathe across the middle – it could be the bridge itself, or just a shadow. See how it anchors the composition, giving weight to the shimmering light above and below. It’s a gutsy move. Painters like Monet build on the work of their forebears, taking inspiration from their peers, and paving the way for future generations. Each brushstroke is a conversation, a dialogue between artist and world. The act of painting is always reaching into something bigger than oneself.