Maison au bord du Fleuve 1906

Auguste Herbin made this small painting, Maison au bord du Fleuve, using rapid brushstrokes of greens, yellows, pinks, and violets, that evoke the sense of light shimmering across the water. You can just feel him building it up, stroke by stroke. I imagine Herbin out there, trying to capture a feeling, working fast with small brushes. I see so many greens, and the water sort of vibrates with little flicks of yellow and mauve. His marks are so physical – you can see each stroke, like he’s dancing with the paint. And those orange roofs—they create this hum of warmth. It reminds me of some of Monet's late paintings, those waterlilies. Artists are always in conversation with each other, you know? Sharing ideas, pushing boundaries. Painting is a way of thinking aloud, of trying to make sense of the world, and leaving space for uncertainty.