A July Day 1914

Edward Henry Potthast painted A July Day with oil on canvas, and you can see the brushwork so clearly. I bet he worked on site to create the painting. Just look at the way the painter has daubed the paint, almost dry, to construct a scene of figures wading in the shallows! The reflections feel quite visceral, and the composition itself is daring in the way it leaves so much space open. I can imagine Potthast squinting to see the scene, considering which colours to use. I wonder if the figures are based on real people he saw on that day? The way he uses brushstrokes to stand in for detail feels so modern. What I love most about the painting is the way the surface of the water appears almost like a mirror reflecting the scene back on itself. It's like he’s saying, "Hey, look at this!"