Luxembourg Gardens, Paris 1902

Frederick Carl Frieseke painted this scene of the Luxembourg Gardens in Paris with oil on canvas. He was an American Impressionist, but spent much of his career in France, so he likely used paint manufactured there, part of an increasingly international, industrialized art supply business. Impressionism was all about capturing a fleeting moment, and oil paint, with its capacity for blending and layering, was perfect for this purpose. Frieseke applied the paint in loose brushstrokes, building up the image layer by layer. Note how he thinned his oil paint to capture shadows across the foreground. This wasn't just about technique, though. Impressionism also mirrored the changing social landscape of Paris. The figures in the garden, likely from the bourgeoisie class, are enjoying leisure time, a relatively new concept for the working class at the time. The painting then becomes a document of its time, reflecting the rise of consumerism and a new kind of urban life. So, next time you see an Impressionist painting, remember it's not just about the pretty colors, but about the whole culture of modernity, captured in paint.