Summer Hotel 1909

William James Glackens made 'Summer Hotel', likely in the early 20th century, using oil on canvas. The colours are like summer itself - light and airy, but with these bold, almost insistent brushstrokes, it's a painting that feels like a process. You can almost feel the sun baking the paint, see the artist layering strokes of blues and yellows. Look at the way the water shimmers, a mosaic of blues and greens, each dab of paint a decision, a moment of seeing. The texture is alive - impasto, thick and juicy. And that well! Right there in the center, this simple form made complex with all that vibrant energy. It's like Glackens is saying, "Here’s something ordinary, now let me show you how extraordinary it can be". This reminds me of Maurice Prendergast’s work, they both embrace that fleeting, sensory experience, capturing a moment with such vividness. It’s a good reminder that painting isn’t about answers. It's about asking questions in colour, in form, in texture.