Le Trayas, Paysage du Midi 1914

Armand Guillaumin made ‘Le Trayas, Paysage du Midi’ with pastel, and, man, does it sing. What strikes me is the way he lets the pastel do its thing. It's all about these soft, broken strokes of color, like he’s letting the light and atmosphere breathe right onto the paper. The rocks are built up with vibrant oranges and reds, but then he cools it down with greens and blues, suggesting the sea and sky. Look at that tree, clinging to the rocks. It's like a little dance, isn't it? The way it leans and twists feels so alive. And notice how Guillaumin uses these quick, energetic marks to create the foliage, there's this sense of movement, as if the wind is rustling through the leaves. He reminds me of Cezanne a little, with his broken color and focus on structure, or maybe even Van Gogh with his expressive mark-making. But Guillaumin has his own voice. He shows how art is about embracing imperfection, about letting the process guide you, and about finding beauty in the everyday.