Carrières-Saint-Denis 1918 - 1920

Here, in this painting by Maurice de Vlaminck titled ‘Carrières-Saint-Denis’, we see a scene rendered with thick, energetic brushstrokes. Blues and greens dominate, swirling together as if the scene was captured in a fleeting moment. It’s all about the process – capturing the energy of a place rather than depicting it exactly. There's a tactile quality to this painting. The paint looks thick, almost sculpted onto the canvas. The way Vlaminck uses the brush, it’s like he’s wrestling with the scene, trying to pin down its essence. Look at the reflections in the water, see how the brushwork creates movement and shimmer. This approach reminds me of some of the German Expressionists, like Emil Nolde, who used colour and brushwork to convey intense emotion. Vlaminck, like them, seems less concerned with realistic representation and more interested in conveying a feeling, an experience. Art's not about showing what's there, but about how we see it, feel it, and remember it.