Study of Two Bedouins 1905

John Singer Sargent painted "Study of Two Bedouins" with oil on canvas, and it feels like a moment captured, a fleeting impression. The brushstrokes are so visible, like he’s wrestling with the paint, trying to pin down these figures before they vanish. Look at how the light catches the white robe of the figure on the left. Each stroke is like a little facet, building up the form. It's thick, but not in a gloppy way. Sargent is so in control of his medium, and the colours are muted, almost sandy, echoing the desert landscape. Then notice the shadow cast by the figure on the right, see how he has used a touch of reddish brown. It’s all about the relationship of colour and light, capturing the feel of being there. This feels very connected to the work of Manet who was also interested in modern life. With both painters, it's like they are saying, "This is how I saw it; make of it what you will."