Landscape of Montfort l Amaury 1918

Raoul Dufy made this landscape of Montfort l'Amaury with watercolour on paper, and it’s all about capturing a mood. Look how the washes of color create a sense of light and air, as though he was trying to capture a fleeting moment. It’s so interesting how he's laid down the color, right? Thin washes and delicate lines. You can almost feel the paper underneath; it's like he barely touched it. Those thin layers of pigment blend and bleed into each other, creating depth and a sense of atmosphere. Then you see those little cows dotted around. I love the way they're almost like afterthoughts, just a few strokes of brown that bring the scene to life. It's like Dufy is saying, “Here’s what it feels like to be in this landscape.” Dufy reminds me a little of someone like John Marin, who was also obsessed with capturing the energy of a place through watercolor. But Dufy has his own playful sensibility and a lightness of touch.