Rotterdam sun 1906

Wassily Kandinsky made this oil painting, Rotterdam Sun, with short, deliberate brushstrokes and a muted palette. I can imagine him standing before the scene, maybe a little chilly, squinting his eyes, trying to capture the shimmering light on the water. I wonder what it was like for him, painting en plein air, with the sounds of the city all around. He's built up the surface with thick daubs of paint, creating a tangible sense of texture. The way he's rendered the water, with those horizontal strokes, you can almost feel the gentle rocking of the boats. There is something about the contrast between the solid forms of the boats and buildings and the fluid reflections in the water that makes the painting so interesting. Kandinsky was part of a generation who were all in conversation with one another, picking up on each other's ideas and pushing the boundaries of what painting could be. This painting is just one of many ways of seeing and experiencing the world.