Vega c. 1920s

Arthur Bowen Davies made this watercolor painting, "Vega," at some point in his career. It's a dreamy landscape, where the paint is laid down in washes, creating soft, blended colors. It's clear that artmaking is a process for Davies, as each layer informs the next, building up a sense of atmosphere. Looking closely, you can see how the watercolor bleeds into the paper, giving a sense of fluidity. The colors are muted and earthy, with a predominance of greens, browns, and blues. In the foreground, there's a patch of green that's applied with loose, gestural strokes, like a memory of a field. It feels unplanned, spontaneous, which adds to the overall sense of movement in the piece. "Vega" reminds me a little of Whistler's landscapes, in the way that Davies prioritizes mood and atmosphere over literal representation. The piece is open to interpretation and invites us to bring our own experiences to it. It's like Davies is saying, "Here's a starting point, now let your imagination take over."