Maypole 1903

This watercolor called *Maypole* by Maurice Prendergast just explodes off the paper with loosely applied, translucent washes of greens, blues, and reds, creating a festive and dynamic scene. I can imagine Prendergast standing there, brush in hand, quickly capturing the fleeting movements of the children dancing around the maypole. He probably worked fast, trying to capture the light as it flickered through the trees. There's a real sense of spontaneity in the way he's applied the paint – wet on wet. You can see how the colors blend and bleed into each other. It gives the whole scene a hazy, dreamlike quality. I’m really drawn to the confident strokes that suggest the figures and their festive attire. They are suggestive and open to multiple interpretations. It reminds me of the work of other impressionist painters, like Renoir. Painting allows us to capture a feeling, a moment, an experience—it's all about that transfer of energy from the artist to the viewer. Ultimately, painting is an ongoing conversation across time, inspiring and influencing one another.