Villa Torre Galli The Loggia 1910

Villa Torre Galli The Loggia is a painting by John Singer Sargent, which depicts a covered terrace, probably made with oil paint. Look at how Sargent builds the architecture and figures with these loose strokes and this warm, limited palette. It feels casual, like it all came together at once, but I bet he reworked the thing a bunch. It’s that sense of immediacy which is really interesting. I'm drawn to how the muted tones of the interior space contrast with the vibrant greens in the open space on the right. The thickness of the paint varies. In some areas, it's thinly applied, allowing the canvas to show through, while in others, like the vines, it's built up with thicker strokes. There’s something of the great Spanish master, Velázquez in Sargent’s brushwork. Both artists have a way of suggesting form with just a few strokes of paint. Ultimately, painting is a conversation across time, an ongoing exchange of ideas.