Wells Farm Railway Bridge, Acton, London 1907

Lucien Pissarro made this painting of the Wells Farm Railway Bridge in Acton, London, in 1907, and you can see how he’s put down these little touches of paint, like he’s thinking out loud. It’s not about hiding the process; it's about making the process the point. What strikes me is the physicality of it all. The bridge, heavy and solid, contrasted against the sky with these dashes of blues and whites. It’s like he’s built the bridge with strokes of color, each one distinct, but together forming something real. Look at the way the light hits the grassy embankments – short, choppy strokes of green, brown, and yellow. And the telephone poles in the distance, they look so matter-of-fact, like Pissarro just saw them and thought, “Yeah, those belong here.” This piece reminds me a bit of Cezanne. Both artists were interested in structure and form, but they weren't afraid to leave the brushstrokes visible. It’s like they’re saying, “Here’s the world, but here’s also how I see it, how I build it.” Art is just an ongoing conversation about seeing and feeling.