Pont Tourant at Dieppe 1903

Gustave Loiseau painted this lovely scene of Dieppe, likely with oils, sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. Look at the way he dabs and drags the paint! It’s like he’s building the scene one tactile mark at a time. The painting has a wonderful sense of materiality. The surfaces are rough, the brushstrokes visible. The palette is restrained, mostly earth tones and muted blues, but the application is so lively. The artist’s mark-making feels honest, like he’s really trying to capture the texture and light of the scene. Notice how the light seems to shimmer on the cobblestones. The way the paint is applied gives the painting a pulse, an aliveness. Loiseau's work reminds me of the paintings of Camille Pissarro. Both artists share a commitment to capturing the everyday scenes and the texture of modern life. Like many great paintings, this work invites you to slow down, to look closely, and to appreciate the beauty in the ordinary.