Molen i Honfleur. 1879 - 1949

Othon Friesz made this small monochrome wash drawing, Molen i Honfleur, with ink on paper. The ink is brushed on in quick strokes, capturing the quayside with the bare minimum of fuss and detail. Friesz is working fast, not trying to produce a slick picture, but trying to pin down a feeling, or an experience. The washes of ink have bled into the paper, leaving irregular edges that look a bit like stains. But it's these very imperfections that give the picture its charm. It's so modest and understated, almost like a sketch in a notebook, but it still evokes the atmosphere of a French harbour. You can see the masts of the boats, and the buildings clustered together on the waterfront. And the long shadows suggest a strong, low sun. Friesz reminds me of Dufy, in the sense that he is always trying to capture the joy of life in paint. They’re both part of an ongoing conversation in art history about how we see and experience the world around us. These pictures embrace ambiguity, giving us space to add our own thoughts and feelings.