The Malaquais Quay in the Morning, Sunny Weather 1903

This painting of The Malaquais Quay in the Morning, Sunny Weather, a small canvas by Camille Pissarro, captures a fleeting moment with simple strokes and a warm palette. Pissarro wasn't trying to trick us with detail, he was more interested in the feeling of the scene. Look how the paint is applied in short, textured dabs, capturing the light as it filters through the trees lining the quay. The buildings in the background aren't sharply defined, but instead are suggested with blocky touches of muted greys and browns. There's a beautiful patch of orangey-yellow that suggests the sun hitting the autumn foliage, it's almost abstract in its application. Pissarro’s interest in capturing the impression of light and atmosphere reminds me of Monet, but his looser brushwork and focus on the everyday life of the city feels totally his own. Ultimately, it's a conversation between the artist and the world, always evolving.