Suruga Bay, Azaleas 1900

Curator: Right, let's dive into this beautiful painting. What you’re looking at is "Suruga Bay, Azaleas" painted around 1900 by Lilla Cabot Perry. It's an oil on canvas, showcasing Perry's wonderful application of Impressionist techniques while working en plein air. Editor: It strikes me as very serene at first glance—the muted blues and gentle brushstrokes, yet the vibrant azaleas popping in the foreground disrupt what would otherwise be quite subdued and instill a kind of subtle dynamism. Curator: Precisely! That color play is intentional. Perry juxtaposes the cool, distant blues of the bay with the warm, almost aggressive red-orange hues of the azaleas to create spatial tension. There’s a framing effect as well, with the azalea branches reaching in as if welcoming us into the scene. What do you think about this frame? Editor: The asymmetrical balance of the framing pulls us into considering what isn't necessarily on display in the forefront. Semiotically speaking, these vibrant azaleas become signals that beckon a greater dialogue, almost obfuscating our engagement with Suruga Bay itself. A very canny tension in structure. Curator: Absolutely, there’s a narrative hinted at. And look closely at the application of paint. The scene feels almost dreamlike—atmospheric and a touch blurry—it's pure impressionism. She spent considerable time in Japan where it was created so her perspective is clearly shaped by ukiyo-e prints and traditional landscape painting. Editor: This painting reminds us that the Impressionists were deeply engaged with both scientific ideas and with philosophies of perception. Here the visible brushwork and the concentration on light effects function less as mere surface treatments than as theoretical statements on how we actually experience the world visually. Perry brilliantly embodies the aesthetic shift happening. Curator: You have perfectly summed up Perry’s approach and how well she captures her perception of Japanese landscapes by interpreting her impressions through the unique language of painting. Editor: Indeed. It makes one consider how our perception shapes reality. Curator: Thanks!