Zicht Aan de Augustijnenbrug te Brugge 1907

Constant Permeke made this painting of the Augustijnenbrug in Bruges with oil on canvas, but when? Who knows? The ochre palette feels very grounded. It’s all about the tangible stuff of artmaking here, not the illusion. Look at that bridge: each stone is a blocky gesture, laid down with real heft. The paint is thick, almost sculptural. You can practically feel the weight of it. And the water underneath isn’t some dreamy reflection, it’s all loaded brushstrokes that show the way the light bounces. That big, bright daub under the arch is so energetic it feels like a burst of pure painting joy! Permeke reminds me a bit of Courbet, but with a lighter, more optimistic touch. For both painters, ambiguity is the point. They invite us to get lost in the making and to find our own way through the painting.