Sur un des escaliers de Bénarès 1912

Paul-Albert Besnard painted *Sur un des escaliers de Bénarès* with a palette that feels both hazy and intense, kind of like memory itself. The reds and ochres give a sense of heat, the kind that shimmers off stone steps. Look closely and you'll see how the paint is applied in layers, almost like veils. It's thin, washy in places, allowing the surface to breathe, but then thickens to describe the figures standing in water, their reflections broken and distorted. The brushstrokes around the central figure in prayer are particularly fascinating - they seem to dissolve her form, making her part of the river itself. It’s all about the push and pull. This piece reminds me a bit of Turner, that desire to capture light and atmosphere above all else. It speaks to the enduring power of painting to evoke a feeling, a mood, rather than just depicting a scene. Art isn't about answers. It's about the questions we ask when we look.