The Salute, Venice 1911

Clarence Gagnon painted this view of Venice with oils, and it’s all about how the light bounces off the water and buildings. For me, it’s all about the process. You can see how each brushstroke builds up the image, and that feels honest. The way the colors blend together, especially in the water, gives the painting a shimmering, almost dreamlike quality. The paint isn't too thick, but you can still see the texture, those individual strokes that catch the light in different ways. Look at the way he’s rendered the domes of the Salute - they're not just white; they're a mix of blues, pinks, and yellows, which makes them feel luminous. That careful observation, trying to capture the way light transforms everything, that's what makes this piece so beautiful. It reminds me a bit of Monet's Venetian scenes, that same fascination with light and atmosphere. There's a freedom here, a willingness to let the painting be a record of the artist's looking and feeling, rather than just a picture of a place.