La Salute, Venice 1911

Clarence Gagnon made this painting of the Salute in Venice, and it's all about the joy of laying down paint. Look at those lively marks, a real sense of engagement with the process! The surface is built up with these juicy daubs of colour, thick in some places, thinner in others, capturing that shimmering light on the water and architecture. I love the way he’s not afraid to let the underlayers peek through, creating a sense of depth and luminosity. And the colour! It's like he’s mixed every shade of blue imaginable. See the bold, almost crude strokes that define the domes? They vibrate with energy, like the whole painting is breathing. It reminds me of the early Fauves like Derain, who were also interested in pushing colour and form to their limits. It's a painting that celebrates the pure, unadulterated pleasure of looking and painting.