Volendam Street Scene 1910

Robert Henri painted this street scene in Volendam, probably in oil on canvas. It's got these muted, earthy tones – browns, greens, and grays – that give it a kind of grounded, everyday feel, a bit like a toned-down Manet. You can almost feel Henri figuring things out as he goes. The brushstrokes are visible, not trying to hide themselves, adding to the sense of immediacy, like a sketch done on the spot, right in the middle of the hustle and bustle. Look at the way he’s handled the figures – they're not overly detailed but have this amazing sense of movement. The red cloak worn by one of the figures really grabs your attention amidst all the earth tones and it echoes the red of the rooftops. Henri's part of a lineage, that includes someone like Gustave Courbet, who was all about painting real life, as he saw it, without the fancy frills. To me this painting feels like an honest record of a time and place, with all its imperfections and quirks.