Oxen c. 1910

This watercolour was made by John Singer Sargent, but the date is unknown. The earthy browns and dabs of golden yellow ochre, mixed with strokes of pale watery blue create a scene of tranquil beauty, but also one of almost dreamlike ambiguity. I can imagine Sargent standing in the dim light of the barn, brush in hand, trying to capture the soft mass of the Oxen. The paint is applied in such a way that the forms seem to emerge and dissolve before our eyes. I’m thinking, what was he thinking? I imagine Sargent was fascinated by the play of light and shadow on the animal's form, how it defined its shape. The texture of the hay, the rough wood of the barn, the soft hide of the Oxen, all rendered with a sensitivity that speaks to Sargent’s mastery of the medium. This piece reminds me that artists are always in conversation with one another, borrowing ideas, techniques, and inspiration. It is as though the artists are engaged in an ongoing dialogue.