Czóbel Béla Szentendre Aquarelle 

This is Czóbel Béla’s Szentendre Aquarelle, made in 1920 with watercolor on paper. Czobel applied watercolor washes in thin layers, exploiting the fluid and transparent nature of the medium. This technique allows light to reflect from the paper beneath, creating a luminous effect, especially in the sky and the open fields, and enhancing the sense of atmosphere. The visible brushstrokes and the way colors blend suggest that it was made en plein air, capturing the immediacy of the moment. The loose and expressive handling of the watercolor shows an interest in spontaneity. The visible pencil underdrawing also suggests the work was quickly sketched. Watercolor was often seen as a 'lesser' medium than oil paint, associated with sketching, illustration, and amateur art. Czobel's choice to use it to create a landscape reflects a desire to move beyond academic conventions. He engages with a tradition of landscape painting, while asserting the value and expressive potential of so-called 'minor' art forms. Ultimately, this work urges us to value the immediacy and subtle expressiveness inherent in the materials and processes used to create it.