Summer 1931

Cuno Amiet’s ‘Summer’ is a burst of greens and blues, a landscape conjured with thick, joyous strokes. I can almost feel Amiet wrestling with the canvas, coaxing the image from a frenzy of brushstrokes. Look at the way those greens and yellows dance together in the foreground – they’re practically vibrating with life. I imagine Amiet stepping back, squinting, maybe muttering to himself as he decided where to place that daub of purple nestled amongst the trees. Was it a happy accident, or a deliberate choice? Who knows! It’s these kinds of decisions that make a painting sing. Amiet's work reminds me of Van Gogh's, especially in the way he captures the raw energy of nature. Artists like Amiet keep the conversation of painting alive, adding their voice to a chorus of experimentation and expression. In the end, ‘Summer’ feels less like a depiction of a place and more like a record of a feeling – an echo of a moment captured in paint.